The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 17, 2006
Filed:
Oct. 08, 2003
Hiroshi Yoshida, Suita, JP;
Hideaki Tsuneki, Tokyo-to, JP;
Toshio Hayashi, Kobe, JP;
Hideyuki Baba, Osaka, JP;
Takahiro Inagaki, Takatsuki, JP;
Satoshi Nakagawa, Suita, JP;
Yukihiko Kakimoto, Himeji, JP;
Ritsuo Kitada, Takatsuki, JP;
Kohei Umehara, Suita, JP;
Hiroshi Yoshida, Suita, JP;
Hideaki Tsuneki, Tokyo-to, JP;
Toshio Hayashi, Kobe, JP;
Hideyuki Baba, Osaka, JP;
Takahiro Inagaki, Takatsuki, JP;
Satoshi Nakagawa, Suita, JP;
Yukihiko Kakimoto, Himeji, JP;
Ritsuo Kitada, Takatsuki, JP;
Kohei Umehara, Suita, JP;
Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
The present invention provides a process for more efficiently producing an α-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester wherein side reactions due to the α-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester are inhibited or prevented in comparison with prior art production processes. The invention provides a process for producing an α-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester comprising Steps 1 to 3: Step 1. reacting, in the presence of oxygen, (i) a 1,2-diol with a 1,2-diol or (ii) a 1,2-diol with an alcohol to obtain a reaction product containing an α-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester; Step 2. separating the α-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester from the reaction product obtained in Step 1 by distillation under reduced pressure; and Step 3. feeding Step 1 with a mixture obtained by partially or entirely removing water from the reaction product, wherein the mixture contains an unreacted 1,2-diol and/or alcohol.