AMMONIUM BISULFATE CATALYZED DEHYDRATION OF BETA-HYDROXY ACIDS

摘要

Hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g., 3-hydroxypropionic acid, and/or their ammon ium salts are dehydrated to their corresponding unsaturated carboxylic acids, e.g., acryl ic acid, by a process that uses a catalyst comprising ammonium bisulfate. The use of ammonium bisu lfate reduces or eliminates the problems associated with processes that use sulfuric acid as a dehydrating catalyst, e.g, excess sulfuric acid consumption and/or recovery.