Low temperature, single solvent process for the production of sucrose-6-ester

摘要

A method for the preparation of a sucrose-6-ester is disclosed. In a first step of the method, sucrose in a polar aprotic solvent is reacted with an organotin-based acylation promoter. The water of reaction is removed at a temperature that does not exceed about 80° C. In one aspect, the water is removed by distillation of part of the polar aprotic solvent at reduced pressure. In a second step, a carboxylic acid anhydride is added. In one aspect, the resulting reaction mixture is maintained at a temperature of 10° C. or less for a period of time sufficient to produce a sucrose-6-ester. The sucrose-6-ester can be converted to sucralose.

主权项

1. A process comprising, in order, the steps of:
(a) providing a first reaction mixture comprising sucrose, a polar aprotic solvent and an organotin-based acylation promoter; (b) removing from the first reaction mixture water produced by reaction between sucrose and the organotin-based acylation promoter to afford a second reaction mixture, and (c) adding a carboxylic acid anhydride to the second reaction mixture to afford a third reaction mixture, thereby producing a sucrose-6-ester; in which: a non-polar co-solvent is not added during step (b); and in step (b), the temperature does not exceed about 80° C.