Dsm IP Assets B.v.

Rolf Kuenzi

Werner Bonrath

Johannes Tschumi

Fabrice Aquino

Thomas Kircher

The present invention relates to a new process of production of menaquinone 4, which is also known as vitamin K2.

Vitamin K2 synthesis

A process for the manufacture of gamma-delta-unsaturated ketones of formula (R)(R)C&#x2550;CH&#x2014;CH&#x2014;CH&#x2014;CO&#x2014;R(I), wherein Ris methyl or ethyl; Ris a saturated or unsaturated linear or cyclic hydrocarbon residue and Ris methyl or ethyl, by reacting a tertiary vinyl carbinol of formula (R)(R)C(OH)&#x2014;CH&#x2550;CH(II) with an isopropenyl methyl or ethyl ether of formula HC&#x2014;C(OR)&#x2550;CH(III) in the pre-sence of an ammonium salt as catalyst.

Manufacture of gamma-delta-unsaturated ketones

Allyl and propargyl ethers of the formula X&#x2014;C(R)(R)&#x2014;O&#x2014;C(CH)(R)&#x2014;OCH(I), wherein X is an ethynyl or vinyl group, Ris methyl or ethyl, Ris a saturated or unsaturated linear or cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon residue and Ris methyl or ethyl, a method for their preparation and their use in the manufacture of &#x3b2;-ketoallenes, &#x3b1;,&#x3b2;-unsaturated carbonyl compounds and &#x3b3;,&#x3b4;-unsaturated ketones.

Allyl and propargyl ethers

A process for the preparation of E-farnesyl acetone characterized by reaction of nerolidol with isopropenylmethyl ether in the presence of an acidic catalyst at elevated temperature and isolation by fractionated distillation.

Process for the preparation of (E, E)-farnesyl acetone

Saturated aliphatic ketones, e.g. hexahydropseudoionone, may be prepared by hydrogenating an olefinically unsaturated ketone, e.g. pseudoionone in a continuous fixed-bed mode in the absence of a solvent in the presence of a catalyst comprising a noble metal deposited on a carrier.

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Basel, Switzerland

Rolf Kuenzi