Hexion Inc.

Kostas Stoitsas

Ron Postma

Prasad Muppa

Caspar Schoolderman

Sandra Rens

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of an epoxyethyl carboxylate or glycidyl carboxylate, including reacting a vinyl carboxylate or an allyl carboxylate using an oxidant and a water-soluble manganese complex in an aqueous reaction medium, and the water-soluble manganese complex comprises an oxidation catalyst, characterized in that the water-soluble manganese complex is a mononuclear species of the general formula (I) [LMnX]Y (I), or a binuclear species of the general formula (II): [LMn(&#x3bc;-X)MnL]Y(II), wherein Mn is a manganese; L is a ligand and each L is independently a polydentate ligand, each X is independently a coordinating species and each &#x3bc;-X is independently a bridging coordinating species, Y is a non-coordinating counter ion, and wherein the epoxidation is carried out at a pH in the range of from 1.0 to 7.0.

Manufacture of an epoxyethyl carboxylate or glycidyl carboxylate

Processes are provided for the formation of an epoxyethyl ether or a glycidyl ether. In one embodiment, a process is provided for the manufacture of an epoxyethyl ether or glycidyl ether including reacting a vinyl ether or an allyl ether with an oxidant in the presence of a water-soluble manganese complex in an aqueous reaction medium, wherein the water-soluble manganese complex comprises an oxidation catalyst, characterized in that the water-soluble manganese complex is a mononuclear complex of the general formula (I): [LMnX]Y (I), or a binuclear complex of the general formula (II): [LMn(&#x3bc;-X)MnL](Y)(II), wherein Mn is a manganese; L or each L independently is a polydentate ligand, each X independently is a coordinating species and each &#x3bc;-X independently is a bridging coordinating species, Y is a non-coordinating counter ion, and wherein the epoxidation is carried out at a pH in the range of fromto. The invention also relates to epoxyethyl ethers.

Growing community of inventors

Vondelingenplaat, Netherlands

Kostas Stoitsas