Process for removing farnesol from mixtures with alpha-bisabolol

1. Process for esterification of farnesol in an initial mixture comprising alpha-bisabolol, farnesol and optionally other components, with the following steps:

(a) Preparation or production of the initial mixture, and

(b) addition of (i) a transesterification catalyst and (ii) one or more compounds of formula (B)

R 2 Y n CO 2 R 1   B

in which the following applies

R 1 stands for an alkyl residue with 1 to 12 C atoms;

R 2 stands for hydrogen, an alkyl residue with 1 to 20 C atoms, a cycloalkyl residue with 5 to 20 C atoms, an aryl residue with 6 to 20 C atoms or a heteroaryl residue with 5 to 20 C atoms; and

Y stands for CH 2 , CH(Me), CH(Et), C(Me) 2 , CH 2 —CH(Me), CH(Me)-CH 2 or CH 2 —CH(Me)-CH 2 and n stands for a whole number from 0 to 6;

or

R 2 stands for a group CO 2 R 3 , R 3 standing for an alkyl residue with 1 to 12 C atoms; and

Y stands for CH 2 , CH(Me), CH(Et), C(Me) 2 , CH 2 —CH(Me), CH(Me)-CH 2 or CH 2 —CH(Me)-CH 2 and n stands for a whole number from 0 to 8, or

Y stands for an optionally substituted phenyl or naphthyl ring with a total of at most four substituents on the ring, n=1 applying.

2. The process as in claim 1 , wherein the amount of one or more compounds of formula (B) which were used is preferably sufficient to esterify the amount of farnesol present in the mixture.

3. The process as in claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of farnesol to the total amount of compound or compounds of formula (B) is preferably in the range from 1:1 to 1:10, preferably in the range from 1:1.1 to 1:5.

4. The process as in claim 1 , wherein one or more additional components selected from the group consisting of the following are present in the mixture: nerolidol, elimination products of bisabolol, elimination products of farnesol, elimination products of nerolidol, etherification products of farnesol, sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpene alcohols.

5. The process as in claim 1 , wherein in formula (B) R 1 stands for an alkyl residue with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, especially preferably methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, or iso-propyl.

6. The process as in claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula (B) is a monocarboxylic acid alkyl ester, and R 2 is preferably hydrogen, an alkyl residue with 3 to 8 C atoms or an aryl residue with 6 to 10 C atoms, especially preferably an aryl residue with 6 to 8 C atoms; and/or Y stands for CH 2 , CH(Me), CH 2 —CH(Me), CH(Me)-CH 2 or CH 2 —CH (Me)-CH 2 and n stands for a whole number from 0 to 6.

7. The process as in claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula (B) is selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid-C 1 —C 4 -ester, especially benzoic acid methyl ester and benzoic acid ethyl ester.

8. The process as in claim 1 , wherein the compound (B) constitutes a dicarboxylic acid dialkyl ester, R 2 stands for a group CO 2 R 3 , R 3 standing for an alkyl residue with 1 to 4 C atoms, especially methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, or iso-propyl, and/or

Y stands for CH 2 and n stands for a whole number from 0 to 6, preferably a whole number from 2 to 5, or

Y stands for CH 2 —CH(Me), CH(Me)-CH 2 or CH 2 —CH(Me)-CH 2 and n =0, 1 or 2; or

Y stands for a phenyl or naphthyl ring, n being equal to 1.

9. The process as in claim 1 , wherein the compound according to formula (B) is selected from the following: succinic acid-C 1 -C 4 -ester, especially succinic acid ethyl ester, succinic acid isopropyl ester, adipinic acid-C 1 -C 4 -ester, especially adipinic acid ethyl ester, adipinic acid isopropyl ester, glutaric acid-C 1 -C 4 -ester, especially glutaric acid acid ethyl ester, glutaric acid isopropyl ester, 3-methylglutaric acid-C 1 -C 4 -ester, especially 3-methylglutaric acid acid ethyl ester, 3-methylglutaric acid isopropyl ester, subaric acid-C 1 -C 4 -ester, azelaic acid-C 1 -C 4 -ester.

10. The process as in claim 1 , wherein the compound according to formula (B) is selected from the group consisting of phthalic acid diethyl ester, phthalic acid diisopropyl ester, phthalic acid dibutyl ester, terephthalic acid diethyl ester, 2,6-naphthalinic dicarboxylic acid diethyl ester, 2,6-naphthalinic dicarboxylic acid di-2-ethylhexylester.

11. Process for producing a product comprising alpha-bisabolol, with the following steps:

conversion of nerolidol into a mixture comprising alpha-bisabolol and farnesol,

esterification of farnesol in the product mixture according to a process as claimed in claim 1 .

12. The process as in claim 11 , wherein the molar ratio of farnesol to the compound of formula (B) are separated from one another.

13. The process as in claim 11 , furthermore comprising the following step:

distillative separation of the alpha-bisabolol from the reaction mixture.

14. The process as in claim 1 , wherein the transesterification catalyst comprises a titanium alcoholate Ti(OR i ) 4 and/or a zirconium alcoholate Zr(OR i ) 4 , where R i represents a branched or straight-chain alkyl residue with 1 to 12 C atoms.