IP Library › Granted Patent US 6,911,567
Granted Patent B2
US 6,911,567 · App. 10/380,978 · Granted Jun 28, 2005

Method for producing guerbet alcohols

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,911,567
App. No.
10/380,978
Granted
Jun 28, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

Guerbet alcohols of the formula (I) CH 3 (CH 2 ) n CHR 1 CH 2 OH  (I) wherein R 1 is a linear alkyl radical having n-1 carbon atoms and n is a number of from 5 to 11 are produced by a process which comprises contacting a fatty alcohol of the formula (II) R 2 OH  (II) wherein R 2 is a linear alkyl radical having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms with a carbonyl compound and an alkall metal hydroxide. The use of heavy metal catalysts usually associated with the production of Guerbet alcohols is avoided thereby reducing the potential for heavy metal pollution of the environment.

Claims (18)

1. A method for producing a Guerbet alcohol of the formula (I)

CH 3 (CH 2 ) n CHR 1 CH 2 OH  (I)

wherein R 1 is a linear alkyl radical having n-1 carbon atoms and n is a number of from 5 to 11 comprising contacting a fatty alcohol of the formula (II)

R 2 OH  (II)

wherein R 2 is a linear alkyl radical having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms with a carbonyl compound and an alkali metal hydroxide, and wherein the carbonyl compound is continuosly added to a mixture of fattyalcohols and alkali metal hydroxide over a period of from 0.1 to 10 hours and at a temperature of between 200° C. and 250° C.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein R 2 is an alkyl radical having from 8 to 10 carbons.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the carbonyl compound is a fatty aldehyde.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the fatty aldehyde is a compound of the formula (III)

R 3 CHO  (III)

wherein R 3 is a linear alkyl radical having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of the carbonyl compound is from 0.2 to 50 mole % with respect to the fatty alcohol.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of the alkali metal hydroxide is from 1 and 10 mole % with respect to the fatty alcohol.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of purifying the guerbet alcohol by distillation.

8. A method for producing a Guerbet alcohol of the formula (I)

CH 3 (CH 2 ) n CHR 1 CH 2 OH  (I)

wherein R 1 is a linear alkyl radical having n-1 carbon atoms and n is a number of from 5 to 11 comprising contacting a fatty alcohol of the formula (II)

R 2 OH  (II)

wherein R 2 is a linear alkyl radical having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms with a carbonyl compound in a reaction mixture wherein the carbonyl compound is continuously added to the reaction mixture, maintained at a temperature of from about 210° C. to about 250° C. a period of from 0.1 to 10 hours.