E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

Marvin L Peterson

Donald I Garnett

Butene diethers are prepared by the reaction of butadiene and an alkanol, in a medium containing iodide ions and copper ions having an average oxidation state of 1-2.

Method for preparing butene diethers

A process for preparing a furan compound by the catalytic oxidation of a diolefin such as butadiene or a halo-substituted alkene is provided. In this process, the starting material is contacted with an aqueous medium having a pH less than about 2 containing (1) iodide ion, (2) a mixture of cuprous and cupric ions, and (3) a solubilizing agent for cuprous ion such as an alkali metal halide. Optionally, an oxygen-containing gas such as air can also be contacted with the aqueous medium. In one embodiment, the starting material is contacted with an aqueous solution of the aforesaid ingredients in one reaction zone to prepare furan and a portion of the solution is passed to a second reaction zone where cuprous ion is oxidized to cupric ion with air and then the air-treated solution returned to the first reaction zone.

Preparation of furan compounds

Furan compounds are prepared by converting butenediols, using a redox system which is an aqueous solution containing copper having an average oxidation state of between 1 and 2, a solubilizing agent for Cu.sup.+1 ions, and 0.05-2.00 moles per liter of hydrogen ions.

A process for preparing a furan compound by the catalytic oxidation of a diolefin such as butadiene or a halo-substituted alkene is provided. In this process the starting material is contacted with an aqueous medium having a pH less than about 2 containing (1) iodide ion, (2) a mixture of cuprous and cupric ions, and (3) a solubilizing agent for cuprous ion such as an alkali metal halide. Optionally, an oxygen-containing gas such as air can also be contacted with the aqueous medium. In one embodiment, the starting material is contacted with an aqueous solution of the aforesaid ingredients in one reaction zone to prepare furan and a portion of the solution is passed to a second reaction zone where curpous ion is oxidized to cupric ion with air and then the air-treated solution returned to the first reaction zone.

A process for the hydroformylation of terminally unsaturated olefinic compounds by carrying out the hydroformylation under a continuously decreasing partial pressure of carbon monoxide to achieve a high linear to branched-chain ratio of aldehydes without a reduction in reaction rate, said process comprising conducting the hydroformylation at an initial total carbon monoxide and hydrogen pressure of from 40 to 500 psia the mole ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide being 1:1 or greater and adjusting downward the partial pressure of CO continuously until at least a 25% reduction in the partial pressure of carbon monoxide in the range of from 1 to 40 psi absolute is reached.

Hydroformylation process for preparation of predominantly linear

Alcohols and/or alpha, beta or alpha, gamma diols having at least four carbon atoms are reacted with aldehyde or dialdehyde compounds at a temperature ranging from 0.degree. - 100.degree. C in the presence of an acid catalyst to produce an organic-aqueous two-phase liquid product containing the acetal in the organic phase.

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Woodstown, NJ, United States of America

Marvin L Peterson