Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Basf Se Corporation

Jeffrey T Andress

Rolf Pinkos

Steffen Maas

Thomas Krug

Stefan Rittinger

Stephan Schlitter

Michael Steiniger

Tilman Sirch

Gerd-Dieter Tebben

Maria Guixa Guardia

Todd C Spengeman

Stephanie A Bejune

Todd Gasiorowski

Timan Sirch

Maria Guixa

Stephanie Bejune

The present invention provides a process for preparing &#x3b5;-caprolactone in a purity of more than 99% by cyclizing 6-hydroxycaproic esters in the liquid phase at from 150 to 400&#xb0; C. and from 1 to 1020 hPa abs., and removing and condensing the compounds which are volatile under cyclization conditions, which comprises thermally treating the remaining bottom product of the cyclization in at least one further reactor, removing and condensing volatile compounds and obtaining &#x3b5;-caprolactone by distillation from the condensates.

Process for preparing &#x3b5;-caprolactone

The invention relates to a process for preparing polymethylol compounds of the formula (I) where the radicals R are each, independently of one another, a further methylol group or an alkyl group having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms or an aryl or aralkyl group having from 6 to 22 carbon atoms, by condensation of aldehydes having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms with formaldehyde in an aldol reaction using tertiary amines as catalyst to form alkanals of the formula (II) where the radicals R each independently have one of the abovementioned meanings, and subsequent hydrogenation of the latter. The particular inventive feature of this process is that the aldol reaction is carried out using an aqueous formaldehyde solution having a formic acid content of &#x3c;150 ppm and preferably &#x3c;100 ppm. In this way of carrying out the process, the formation of by-products can advantageously be prevented in a targeted manner and the yield of the desired polymethylol compound can thereby be increased.

Process for preparing polyalcohols from formaldehyde having a low formic acid content

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Lake Jackson, TX, United States of America

Jeffrey T Andress