Process for the production of 3-methylthiopropanal
View Patent ↗Process for the Production of 3-methylthiopropanal. A process for the production of 3-methylthiopropanal which reacting reaction medium comprising methyl mercaptan and acrolein in the presence of a catalyst comprising an organic base characterised in that the organic base is a N-alkyl morpholine compound.
1. A process for the production of 3-methylthiopropanal (MTPA), comprising:
reacting a reaction medium comprising methylmercaptan and acrolein in the presence of a catalyst comprising an acid and an organic base, wherein the organic base is a N-alkyl-morpholine.
2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the N-alkyl-morpholine is a C 1 to C 6 alkyl-morpholine.
3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the C 1 to C 6 alkyl-morpholine is methylmorpholine or ethylmorpholine.
4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the mole ratio of N-alkyl-morpholine to methylmercaptan is from 0.0001 to 0.05.
5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the mole ratio of N-alkyl-morpholine to methylmercaptan is from 0.001 to 0.01.
6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the mole ratio of methylmercaptan to acrolein is from 0.9 to 2.
7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the mole ratio of methylmercaptan to acrolein is from 1 to 1.2.
8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the acid is an organic acid.
9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of formic acid, acetic acid, propanoic acid, and butanoic acid.
10. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the organic acid is acetic acid.
11. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the mole ratio of N-alkyl-morpholine to organic acid is from 0.1 to 2.
12. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the mole ratio of N-alkyl-morpholine organic acid is from 0 to 1.
13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of from 20 to 70° C.
14. The process according to claim 13 , wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of from 30 to 50° C.
15. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process is carried out under atmospheric pressure.
16. A process for the production of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanenitrile, comprising:
(a) a first step of reacting a reaction medium comprising methylmercaptan and acrolein in the presence of a catalyst comprising an acid and an organic base to produce a product stream comprising 3-methylthiopropanal and said catalyst, wherein the organic base is a N-alkyl-morpholine; and
(b) a second step of reacting said product stream with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of a catlyst.
17. The process according to claim 16 , wherein the N-alkyl-morpholine is a C1 to C6 alkyl-morpholine.
18. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the C1 to C6 alkyl-morpholine is methylmorpholine or ethylmorpholine.
19. The process according to claim 16 , wherein the mole ratio of N-alkyl-morpholine to methylmercaptan in step (a) is from 0.0001 to 0.05.
20. The process according to claim 19 , wherein the mole ratio of N-alkyl-morpholine to methylmercaptan in step (a) is from 0.001 to 0.01.
21. The process according to claim 16 , wherein the mole ratio of methylmercaptan to acrolein in step (a) is from 0.9 to 2.
22. The process according to claim 21 , wherein the mole ratio of methylmercaptan to acrolein in step (a) is from 1 to 1.2.
23. The process according to claim 16 , wherein the acid in step (a) is an organic acid.
24. The process according to claim 23 , wherein the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of formic acid, acetic acid, propanoic acid, and butanoic acid.
25. The process according to claim 24 , wherein the organic acid is acetic acid.
26. The process according to claim 23 , wherein the mole ratio of N-alkyl-morpholine to organic acid in step (a) is from 0.1 to 2.
27. The process according to claim 26 , wherein the mole ratio of N-alkyl-morpholine to organic acid in step (a) is from 0 to 1.
28. The process according to claim 16 , wherein step (a) is carried out at a temperature of from 20 to 70° C.
29. The process according to claim 28 , wherein step (a) is carried out at a temperature of from 30 to 50° C.
30. The process according to claim 16 , wherein step (a) is carried out under atmospheric pressure.
31. A process for the production of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanenitrile, comprising:
reacting a reaction medium comprising 3-methylthiopropanal (MTBA) and hydrogen cyanide in the presence of a catalyst comprising an organic base, wherein the organic base is a N-alkyl-morpholine.
32. The process according to claim 31 , wherein the N-alkyl-morpholine is a C 1 to C 6 alkyl-morpholine.
33. The process according to claim 32 , wherein the C 1 to C 6 alkyl-morpholine is methylmorpholine or ethylmorpholine.