Eastman Chemical Company

James Charles Ciula

Neil Warren Boaz

Brent Alan Tennant

John C Hubbs

Jennifer Ellen McCusker-Orth

John Thorton Maddox

David Carl Attride

William D Nottingham

David Chris Spencer

Thomas Nabih

Processes for producing higher molecular weight ketones are disclosed that include the steps of feeding an aldol catalyst solution, a lower molecular weight aldehyde, and a lower molecular weight ketone, through a reactor provided with a solid hydrogenation catalyst and hydrogen gas; recovering a liquid reactor effluent containing the higher molecular weight ketone as a reaction product; and recycling a portion of the recovered liquid reactor effluent back through the reactor.

Processes for the preparation of higher molecular weight ketones

Disclosed is a 4-step process for the preparation of alkyl esters of 1-methylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid which comprises the steps of (1) converting &ggr;-butyrolactone to &agr;-methyl-&ggr;-butyrolactone; (2) converting the &agr;-methyl-&ggr;-butyrolactone from step (1) to an alkyl 4-halo-2-methylbutyrate; (3) producing a xylene solution of the alkyl 4-halo-2-methylbutyrate; and (4) contacting the xylene solution of an alkyl 4-halo-2-methylbutyrate from step (3) with an alkali metal alkoxide under conditions of temperature and pressure which causes vaporization of (i) an alkanol as it is formed and (ii) an alkyl 1-methylcyclopropanecarboxylate as it is formed from the alkyl 4-halo-2-methylbutyrate. Also disclosed are processes whereby the alkyl 1-methylcyclopropanecarboxylate, prepared as described above, is converted to 1-methylcyclopropylamine.

Process for the preparation of alkyl 1-methylcyclopropanecarboxylate

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Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

James Charles Ciula