Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Markus R&ouml;sch

Rolf-Hartmuth Fischer

Alexander Weck

Holger Borchert

Stephan Schlitter

Frank Stein

Ralf-Thomas Rahn

Rolf Pinkos

Michael Hesse

Gerd Kaibel

Michael Jolyon Sprague

The present invention relates to a process for the gas-phase hydrogenation of C -dicarboxylic acids and/or their derivatives over a catalyst based on copper oxide to give substituted or unsubstituted &ggr;-butyrolactone and/or tetrahydrofuran, which comprises, which a first reaction zone in which the C -dicarboxylic acid and/or its derivatives is/are reacted to give a mixture comprising a substituted or unsubstituted &ggr;-butyrolactone as main product and a subsequent second reaction zone in which the substituted or unsubstituted &ggr;-butyrolactone present in the mixture from the first hydrogenation step is reacted at a temperature lower than the temperature in the first hydrogenation step to give substituted or unsubstituted tetrahydrofuran.

Method for the hydrogenation of maleic anhydride and related compounds in two serial reaction zones

Unsubstituted or alkyl-substituted THF is obtained by catalytic hydrogenation in the gas phase of C -dicarboxylic acids and/or their derivatives using a catalyst comprising <80% by weight, preferably <70% by weight, in particular from 10 to 65% by weight, of CuO and >20% by weight, preferably >30% by weight, in particular from 35 to 90% by weight, of an oxidic support having acid centers, at a hot spot temperature of from 240 to 310&deg; C., preferably from 240 to 280&deg; C., and a WHSV over the catalyst of from 0.01 to 1.0, preferably from 0.02 to 1, in particular from 0.05 to 0.5, kg of starting material/l of catalyst x hour.

Method for the production of tetrahydrofuran

Growing community of inventors

Oppenheim, Germany

Markus Rösch

Growing community of inventors

Oppenheim, Germany

Markus R&ouml;sch

Markus Rösch