Process for the conversion of cyclic amines into lactams
View Patent ↗Converting cyclic amines to lactams using gold supported catalysts.
1. A process of converting cyclic amines to lactams, comprising:
reacting a cyclic amine of the formula:
wherein n is from 2-4;
with oxygen in the presence of catalytically effective amount of a gold, silica supported catalyst, in a medium polar to non-polar organic solvent to provide a lactam of the formula:
wherein n is from 2-4.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein the reaction is conducted in the presence Of excess oxygen.
3. The reaction of claim 1 wherein the reaction is conducted at temperatures from about 60° C. to about 150° C.
4. The process of claim 1 wherein the medium polar to non-polar organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of toluene, tetrahydrofuran acetonitrile, and other aromatic and nitrile solvents.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein n is 2, and the lactam product is 2-pyrrolidone.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein n is 3, and the lactam product is valerolactam.
7. The process of claim 1 wherein n is 4, and the lactam product is ε-caprolactam.
8. The process of claim 1 wherein the amount of catalyst is from about 2 mole % to about 10 mole %.
9. The process of claim 1 wherein the gold catalyst is used in conjunction with an acid.