Succinic anhydrides from epoxides

1. A process for the double carbonylation of an epoxide to a succinic anhydride in a reaction which comprises reacting an epoxide with carbon monoxide in a solvent in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a catalyst,

wherein the epoxide has the formula:

where more than one R group can be present and each R group is independently selected from the group consisting of: (a) C 1 to C 20 alkyl; (b) C 2 to C 20 alkenyl; (c) C 2 to C 20 alkynyl; (d) up to a C 12 carbocycle; and (f) —C(R 13 ) z H (3-z) ;

where two or more R groups may be taken together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached to form one or more rings, and any of (a) through (d) may optionally be further substituted with one or more F groups,

where F at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of: halogen; —OR 10 ; —OC(O)R 13 ; —OC(O)OR 13 ; —OC(O)NR 11 R 12 ; —CN; —CNO; —C(O)R 13 ; —C(O)OR 13 ; —C(O)NR 11 R 12 ; —C(R 13 ) z H (3-z) ; NR 11 C(O)R 10 ; —NR 11 C(O)OR 10 ; —NCO; —NR 12 SO 2 R 13 ; —S(O) x R 13 ; —S(O) 2 NR 11 R 12 ; —NO 2 ; —N 3 ; —(CH 2 ) k R 14 ; —(CH 2 ) k —Z—R 16 ; and —(CH 2 ) k —Z—(CH 2 ) m —R 14 ,

where,

R 10 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of: —C(R 13 ) z H (3-z) ; C 1 to C 12 alkyl; C 2 to C 12 alkenyl; C 2 to C 12 alkynyl; up to a C 12 carbocycle; —S(O) 2 R 13 ; —Si(R 15 ) 3 ; —H; and a hydroxyl protecting group,

R 11 and R 12 at each occurrence are independently selected from the group consisting of: —H; C 1 to C 12 alkyl; C 2 to C 12 alkenyl; C 2 to C 12 alkynyl; and —C(R 13 ) z H (3-z) ;

where R 11 and R 12 ; when both present, can optionally be taken together with the atom to which they are attached to form a 3- to 10-membered ring,

R 13 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of: —H; C 1 to C 12 alkyl; C 2 to C 12 alkenyl; C 2 to C 12 alkynyl; and up to a C 12 carbocycle,

R 14 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of: halogen; —OR 10 ; —OC(O)R 13 ; —OC(O)OR 13 ; —OC(O)NR 11 R 12 ; —CN; —CNO; —C(R 13 ) z H (3-z) ; —C(O)R 13 ; —C(O)OR 13 ; —C(O)NR 11 R 12 ; —NR 11 C(O)R 13 ; —NR 11 C(O)OR 10 ; —NR 11 SO 2 R 13 ; —NCO; —N 3 ; —NO 2 ; —S(O) x R 13 ; —SO 2 NR 11 R 12 ; and up to a C 12 carbocycle,

R 15 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of: C 1 to C 6 alkyl; C 2 to C 6 alkenyl; C 2 to C 6 alkynyl; and up to C 12 carbocycle,

R 16 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of: C 1 to C 12 alkyl; C 2 to C 12 alkenyl; C 2 to C 12 alkynyl; up to a C 12 carbocycle; and —C(R 13 ) z H (3-z) ,

Z is a divalent linker selected from the group consisting of:

—(CH═CH) a —; —(CH≡CH) a —; —C(O)—; —C(═NOR 11 )—; —C(═NNR 11 R 12 )—; —O—; —N(R 11 )—; —N(C(O)R 13 )—; —S(O) x —;

a polyether; and a polyamine,

a is 1, 2, 3, or 4,

k is an integer from 1 to 8 inclusive,

m is an integer from 1 to 8 inclusive,

x is 0, 1, or 2, and

z is 1, 2, or 3;

wherein the catalyst comprises a complex of formula [Lewis acid] u+ {[T(CO) v ] s− } t where T is a transition metal; u is an integer from 1 to 6 inclusive; s is an integer from 1 to 4 inclusive; t is a number such that t multiplied by s equals u; and v is an integer from 1 to 9 inclusive;

wherein the solvent includes a Lewis base; and

the crude yield of succinic anhydride is at least 10 percent.

2. The process of claim 1 , where the epoxide is selected from the group consisting of: ethylene oxide; propylene oxide; 1,2-epoxybutane; 1,2-epoxyhexane; 1,2-epoxydodecane; cyclohexyl oxirane; n-butyl glycidyl ether; tert-butyldimethylsilyl glycidyl ether; benzyl glycidyl ether; 10,11-epoxyundecan-1-ol; 4,5-epoxypentyl butyrate; 5,6-epoxyhexanenitrile; N,N-dimethyl-10,11-undecylamide; 1,2-epoxy-5-hexene; 1,2-epoxy-7-octene; (2,3-epoxypropyl)benzene; styrene oxide; and 1,2,7,8-diepoxyoctane.

3. The process of claim 1 , where the epoxide is ethylene oxide.

4. The process of claim 1 , where the epoxide is propylene oxide.

5. The process of claim 1 , where the catalyst further comprises a group 1 or 2 metal cation.

6. The process of claim 1 , where the catalyst further comprises a non-metallic cation.

7. The process of claim 6 , where the non-metallic cation is selected from the group consisting of ammonium, phosphonium, and arsonium cations.

8. The process of claim 1 , where the Lewis acid includes an element from groups 3 through 14 or a lanthanide metal.

9. The process of claim 1 , where the Lewis acid is cationic.

10. The process of claim 9 , where the Lewis acid is a metal complex of formula [M(L) b ] c+ where M is a metal selected from a transition metal, a group 13 or 14 metal, or a lanthanide; each L is a dianionic tetradentate ligand; b is an integer from 1 to 6 inclusive; c is 1, 2, or 3; and where, if more than one L is present, each L may be the same or different.

11. The process of claim 10 , where M is a transition metal or a group 13 metal.

12. The process of claim 10 , where M is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, chromium, indium and gallium.

13. The process of claim 10 , where M is aluminum.

14. The process of claim 10 , where M is chromium.

15. The process of claim 10 , where the metal complex includes a metal M selected from a transition metal, a group 13 or 14 metal, or a lanthanide, and a ligand L of formula:

where R d at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of: —H; C 1 -C 12 alkyl; C 2 -C 12 alkenyl; C 2 -C 12 alkynyl; halogen; —OR 10 ; —OC(O)R 13 ; —OC(O)OR 13 ; —OC(O)NR 11 R 12 ; —CN; —CNO; —C(O)R 13 ; —C(R 13 ) z H (3-z) ; —C(O)OR 13 ; —C(O)NR 11 R 12 ; —NR 11 R 12 ; —NR 11 —C(O)R 10 ; —NR 11 —C(O)OR 13 ; —NR 11 SO 2 R 13 ; —NCO; —N 3 ; —NO 2 ; —S(O) x R 13 ; —SO 2 NR 11 R 12 ; —C(R 13 ) z H (3-z) ; —(CH 2 ) k R 14 ; —(CH 2 ) k —Z—R 16 —; and —(CH 2 ) k —Z—(CH 2 ) m —R 14 , and

where R 10 , R 11 , R 12 , R 13 , R 14 , R 16 , Z, k, m, x, and z are as defined in claim 1 .