Process for producing tetraglycidylamino compound

Abstract

A diamine and an epihalohydrin are subjected to ring-opening addition reaction in the presence of water, to thereby produce a tetrahalohydrinamino compound (i.e., halohydrin compound). Thereafter, the halohydrin compound is reacted with an alkali metal hydroxide in the co-presence of a phase-transfer catalyst, to thereby allow cyclization reaction to proceed. An alkali metal halide by-produced during the cyclization reaction is dissolved in water and removed through phase separation. The resultant organic layer is washed with water for phase separation. Then, a crude tetraglycidylamino compound obtained by recovering unreacted epihalohydrin through evaporation is dissolved in an organic solvent and washed with water for phase separation. Subsequently, the organic solvent is recovered through evaporation under reduced pressure with heating, to thereby isolate a tetraglycidylamino compound (i.e., a product of interest). An aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution is added to the organic solvent recovered through evaporation, followed by thermal treatment. The thus-purified organic solvent is recycled. This method can effectively produce, at low cost, a tetraglycidylamino compound (i.e., a product of interest) of reliable quality having low residual epihalohydrin and hydrolyzable halogen contents.