Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Basf Akteingesellschaft

Basf Aktengesellschaft

Robert Maerkl

Werner Bertleff

Wolfgang Harder

Rudolf Kummer

Gebhard Kuehn

Peter Stops

Paul Panitz

Michael Roeper

Dieter Koeffer

Peter Magnussen

Gunter Schuch

Hans J Wilfinger

Guenter Schuch

The preparation of 2,3-dialkoxypropanals of the general formula I ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 denote C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl or C.sub.5 - or C.sub.6 -cycloalkyl which may or may not bear substituents which are inert under the conditions of the reaction, wherein a 1,2-dialkoxy ethene of the general formula II

Process for the preparation of 2,3-dialkoxypropanals

Preparation of alkyl pentenoates

.omega.-Formylalkanecarboxylic esters are prepared by hydroformylation of an alkenecarboxylic ester with carbon monoxide and hydrogen at elevated tempertures and under superatmospheric pressure in the presence of a cobalt carbonyl complex by a process in which an .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated alkenecarboxylic ester is hydroformylated in the presence of from 0.01 to 1 mol %, calculated as cobalt, of a cobalt carbonyl complex, while maintaining a conversion of from 10 to 70% of .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated alkenecarboxylic esters.

Preparation of omega-formylalkanecarboxylic esters

Alkyl pentenoates are prepared by reacting butadiene with carbon monoxide and an alkanol in the presence of a cobalt carbonyl complex and a tertiary, aromatic heterocyclic nitrogen base at from 80.degree. to 160.degree. C. under from 100 to 1,000 bar in the presence of from 0.1 to 10% by volume of hydrogen, based on the amount of carbon monoxide used.

Aqueous solutions which are obtained in the carbalkoxylation of olefinically unsaturated compounds and contain heterocyclic aromatic nitrogen bases, their transformation products and lower fatty acids and/or their salts are treated by a process in which (a) the aqueous solution is heated to 150.degree.-300.degree. C. under from 10 to 300 bar and (b) heterocyclic aromatic nitrogen bases which are formed again from the transformation products are then separated off.

Treatment of aqueous solutions obtained in the carbalkoxylation of

Carbalkoxy-containing aliphatic compounds are prepared continuously by reacting an olefinically unsaturated aliphatic compound with carbon monoxide and an alkanol in the presence of a cobalt carbonyl catalyst and a tertiary nitrogen base at from 80.degree. to 200.degree. C. and under from 100 to 1,200 bar by an improved process in which carbon monoxide is circulated, and a carbon dioxide content of from 0.1 to 2% by volume is maintained in the carbon monoxide fed to the reaction.

Continuous preparation of carbalkoxy-containing aliphatic compounds

1,1,2-trialkoxyethanes I ##STR1## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may furthermore be bonded to one another to form a 5-membered to 7-membered ring, are prepared by reacting a formaldehyde dialkyl acetal II with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, from 0.5 to 1.5 moles of hydrogen being used per mole of carbon monoxide, and with not less than 1 mole of alcohol R.sup.3 OH per mole of formaldehyde dialkyl acetal under superatmospheric pressure and at elevated temperatures in the presence of a catalyst which is formed from a cobalt carbonyl compound and a trivalent organic compound of the formula III ##STR2## where A is phosphorus, arsenic, antimony or bismuth and R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are each an organic radical.

Preparation of 1,1,2-trialkoxyethanes

Ethylene glycol is prepared from carbon monoxide and hydrogen in homogeneous liquid phase under superatmospheric pressure and at elevated temperature in the presence of a rhodium-containing catalyst and in the presence of an organic solvent, the organic solvent used being a C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 -n-alkanol and the concentration of this alkanol, based on the total amount of the mixture, constantly being maintained at not less than 50% by weight.

Preparation of ethylene glycol

Ethylene glycol is prepared from carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a homogeneous liquid phase under superatmospheric pressure and at elevated temperatures in the presence of a rhodium-containing catalyst and in the presence of a porphyrin as organic nitrogen-containing promoter.

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Fussgoenheim, Germany

Robert Maerkl