Process for producing long chain amino acids and dibasic acids

1. A process for producing long chain dibasic acid of formula (V) and long chain amino acid of formula (VI), comprising:

(1) reacting a keto fatty acid (II) of the formula:

in the presence or absence of a solvent with an aqueous solution of hydroxylamine salt or subjecting a keto fatty acid (II) to an ammoximation reaction with ammonia and hydrogen peroxide to produce an oxime fatty acid (IIIa) of the formula:

wherein m is an integer from 0 to 10; n is an integer from 6 to 20;

(2) reacting the oxime fatty acid (IIIa) with an alcohol or with an amine to form an oxime fatty acid ester or amide (IIIb) of the formula:

wherein X is OR or NR 1 R 2 , in which R, R 1 , and R 2 are each independently hydrogen, or C 1 to C 12 aliphatic and aromatic groups.

(3) subjecting the oxime fatty acid derivatives (IIIb) to the Beckmann rearrangement: to yield a mixture of the amide fatty acid (IVc) and (IVd)

(4) hydrolyzing the mixed amide fatty acid derivatives (IVc) and (IVd) with an acid or a basic agent to a mixture of a long chain dibasic acid (V), a long chain amino acid (VI), a short chain alkylamine (VIII), and an alkanoic acid (VIII)

and

(5) separating the long chain dibasic acid (V), long chain amino acid (VI), alkylamine (VII), and alkanoic acid (VIII).

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the oximation reaction is performed at a pH in the range from 3 to 5.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the oximation reaction is performed in an aqueous solution in the absence of organic solvent.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein a catalyst for the Beckmann rearrangement of an oxime fatty acid ester or amide (IIIb) is selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, alkylsulfonic acid, arylsulfonic acid, or perfluorocarboxylic acids, thionyl chloride, sulfuryl chloride, chlorosulfonic acid, methanesulfonyl chloride, toluenesulfonyl chloride, acetyl chloride, benzoyl chloride, oxalyl chloride, phosgene, diphosgene, triphosgene, boron trichloride, phosphorus trichloride, phosphorus pentachloride, oxyphosphoryl chloride, cyanuric chloride, phosphorazine, zinc chloride, ferric chloride, cobalt chloride, stannous chloride, aluminum chloride, titanium chloride, boron trichloride, and a mixture of two or more thereof.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the mixed amide fatty acid ester or amide (IVc) and (IVd) are hydrolyzed by an acid to produce a suspension of long chain dibasic acid (V), alkanoic acid (VIII), and the acid salts of long chain amino acid (VI) and alkylamine (VII).

6. The process according to claim 5 , wherein a process for the separation of long chain dibasic acid (V), alkanoic acid (VIII), and the acid salts of long chain amino acid (VI) and alkylamine (VII) comprises:

(a) isolating the long chain dibasic acid by means of solid-liquid separation to provide a mother liquor after diluting a hydrolysis suspension with water and cooling to crystallize long chain dibasic acid;

(b) separating alkanoic acid from the mother liquor of step (a) by a phase separation to provide an aqueous solution;

(c) neutralizing the aqueous solution of step (b) with a basic agent to a neutral pH to precipitate long chain amino acid;

(d) separating the long chain amino acid from step (c) by means of solid-liquid filtration to provide a mother liquor;

(e) adding a basic agent to the mother liquor of step (d); and

(f) distilling the solution of step (e) to recover alkylamine.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the mixed amide fatty acid ester or amide (IVc) and (IVd) are hydrolyzed by an alkali hydroxide to yield alkylamine and alkali salts of long chain amino acid (VI), long chain dibasic acid (IV), and alkanoic acid (VIII).

8. The process according to claim 7 , wherein a process for the separation of alkylamine (VII) and alkali salts of long chain dibasic acid (V), alkanoic acid (VIII), long chain amino acid (VI) comprises:

(a) distilling the aqueous hydrolysis solution to recover alkylamine;

(b) neutralizing the solution of step (a) with an acid to a neutral in the range from 7 to 8 to precipitate the long chain amino acid;

(c) separating the long chain amino acid from step (b) by means of solid-liquid filtration to provide a mother liquor;

(d) adding an acid to the mother liquor of step (c) to a pH in the range from 4 to 5 to precipitate long chain dibasic acid;

(e) separating the long chain dibasic acid of step (d) by means of solid-liquid filtration to provide a mother liquor; and

(f) adding an acid to the mother liquor of step (e) to a pH in the range from 1 to 3 to obtain alkanoic acid.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein an acid is selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, malic acid, glycolic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, sulfamic acid, benzenesulfonic acid, toluenesulfonic acid, xylenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid, ethanesulfonic acid, and a mixture of two or more thereof.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the acid is sulfuric acid.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein a basic agent is selected from the group consisting of ammonia, ammonium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, ammonium acetate, sodium acetate, potassium acetate, and a mixture of two or more thereof.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the basic agent is sodium hydroxide.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the long chain dibasic acids are sebacic acid, dodecanedioic acid, or brassylic acid.

14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the long chain dibasic acid is dodecanedioic acid.

15. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the long chain amino acids are 9-aminononanoic acid, 11-aminoundecanoic acid, or 13-aminotridecanoic acid.

16. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the long chain amino acid is 11-aminoundecanoic acid.

17. The process according to claim 1 , wherein a keto fatty acid is prepared by oxidizing a hydroxy fatty acid with sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, or hydrogen peroxide.

18. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the alkali metals are lithium, sodium, potassium, or cesium.