Societe Nationale Elf Aquitaine (Production)

Patrick Auge

Emmanuel F Arretz

Alfred Mirassou

Claude Landoussy

This invention relates to improvement to a process for the preparation of mercaptoalcohols containing, more particularly, up to 24 carbon atoms and, preferably, more than 3 carbon atoms, by reaction of the corresponding vicinal epoxides with hydrogen sulphide. The process comprises incorporating into the reaction mixture a catalyst comprising a guanidine and/or of organic derivatives of a guanidine, and/or of guanidine salts, in particular of guanidine salts. The catalyst can be either in liquid and/or solid form, depending on the nature of the catalyst and its solubility in the reaction mixture, or fixed and/or impregnated into various solid materials. The materials can be organic in nature such as neutral and/or basic polymer resins, polymers or copolymers, or can be inorganic in nature such as alumninas, silicas, aluminosilicates, zeolites, active charcoals, oxides and/or metal salts. This process enables mercaptoalcohols to be obtained in a high overall yield while permitting relatively short reaction times.

Process for the preparation of mercaptoalcohols

Process for the synthesis of a mercaptan from an olefin, by the action of hydrogen sulphide thereon, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a cation exchange resin, characterized in that this resin is dry and that the reaction is effected at a temperature ranging between 45.degree. and 75.degree. C.

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Billere, France

Patrick Auge