Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Walter Best

Wolfgang Hoelderich

Klaus Halbritter

Walter Gramlich

Kurt Schneider

Heinz Eckhardt

.gamma.-butyrolactones of the general formula I ##STR1## where R.sup.1 is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms which may be substituted by lower alkoxy or acyloxy and R.sup.2 is hydrogen or straight-chain or branched alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by a functional group or is aryl, are prepared by reacting an alkylene oxide of the general formula II ##STR2## with an acylacetate of the general formla III ##STR3## where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 have the above meanings and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms or aryl, and R.sup.4 may furthermore be hydrogen, in the presence of a catalyst at elevated temperatures, by a process in which the reaction is carried out in the presence of an alkali metal halide, of an ammonium halide, preferably a quaternary ammonium halide, of a phosphonium halide, of an alkali metal phosphate or of an alkali metal carbonate at from 20.degree. to 200.degree. C. and under from 1 to 50 bar.

Preparation of alpha-substituted upsilon-butyrolactones

1,4-Diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane and C-substituted 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octanes of the formula (I) ##STR1## where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each hydrogen or alkyl or alkenyl, each of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, are prepared from a heterocyclic amine of the formula (II) ##STR2## where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 have the above meanings, R.sup.3 is hydrogen, hydroxyethyl or aminoethyl and X is hydroxyl or amino, in the presence of borosilicate and/or iron silicate zeolites as catalysts. Particularly suitable catalysts are the borosilicate and iron silicate zeolites of the pentasil type.

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Weisenheim, Germany

Walter Best