Process for the catalytic halogenation of a diol

1. A process for the catalytic halogenation of an organic compound having at least one vicinal diol moiety, said process comprising bringing the organic compound having at least one vicinal diol moiety into contact with a hydrogen halide in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the catalyst is an organic compound having a β-diketone moiety or a β-keto aldehyde moiety.

2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the catalyst is an organic compound having a β-diketone moiety.

3. The process according to claim 2 wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of 2,4-pentanedione, 1-phenyl-1,3-butanedione, dibenzoylmethane, 3,5-heptanedione, 1,3-cyclopentanedione, 2,4-hexanedione, 1,3-cyclohexanedione, triacetylmethane, 1,1,2-triacetylethane, 2,4,6-heptanetrione, 1,3,5-cyclohexanetrione, and 1,1,2,2-tetraacetylethane.

4. The process according to claim 1 wherein the organic compound having at least one vicinal diol moiety is selected from the group consisting of 1,2-ethanediol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,2,4-butanetriol, 1,2-pentanediol, 1,2-hexanediol, and glycerol.

5. The process according to claim 1 wherein the hydrogen halide is hydrogen chloride.

6. The process according to claim 5 wherein the hydrogen chloride is gaseous hydrogen chloride.

7. The process according to claim 1 wherein for each mole of hydroxyl groups to be halogenated, between 1 and 10 moles of hydrogen halide are added.

8. The process according to claim 1 wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of between 20° and 160° C.

9. The process according to claim 1 wherein the organic compound having at least one vicinal diol moiety is glycerol and the hydrogen halide is gaseous hydrogen chloride.

10. The process according to claim 9 , further comprising preparing monochlorohydrin which is subsequently used to prepare glycidol by bringing the monochlorohydrin into contact with a base.

11. The process according to claim 9 , further comprising preparing dichlorohydrin which is subsequently used to prepare epichlorohydrin by bringing the dichlorohydrin into contact with a base.

12. The process according to claim 1 wherein the organic compound having at least one vicinal diol moiety is 1,2-ethanediol or 1,2-propanediol and the hydrogen halide is gaseous hydrogen chloride.

13. The process according to claim 12 wherein the resulting chloroethanol or chloropropanol is subsequently used to prepare ethylene oxide or propylene oxide, respectively, by bringing the chloroethanol or chloropropanol, respectively into contact with a base.

14. The process according to claim 3 wherein the organic compound having at least one vicinal diol moiety is selected from the group consisting of 1,2-ethanediol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,2,4-butanetriol, 1,2-pentanediol, 1,2-hexanediol, and glycerol.

15. The process according to claim 3 wherein the hydrogen halide is hydrogen chloride.

16. The process according to claim 14 wherein the hydrogen halide is hydrogen chloride.

17. The process according to claim 16 wherein the hydrogen chloride is gaseous hydrogen chloride.

18. The process according to claim 3 wherein the organic compound having at least one vicinal diol moiety is glycerol and the hydrogen halide is gaseous hydrogen chloride.

19. The process according to claim 3 wherein the organic compound having at least one vicinal diol moiety is 1,2-ethanediol or 1,2-propanediol and the hydrogen halide is gaseous hydrogen chloride.

20. The process according to claim 8 wherein the organic compound having at least one vicinal diol moiety is 1,2-ethanediol or 1,2-propanediol and the hydrogen halide is gaseous hydrogen chloride.