Manufacture and use of alkyl <i>p</i>-toluates

摘要

The present invention relates to the manufacture of alkyl p-toluates from an alkyl p-toluic acid ester and a mono-functional, branched, linear or cyclic medium chain length alkyl alcohol, and their use as a plasticizer in polymers. Additionally, the present invention relates to articles and materials comprising such alkyl p-toluates.

主权项

1. A method for the manufacture of an alkyl p-toluate of formula I,wherein R is a C4-C20 branched, linear or cyclic alkyl radical, comprising:
oxidizing p-xylene to produce dimethyl terephthalate and a byproduct stream, wherein the byproduct stream comprises an ester comprising at least 80% by weight of C1-C4 alkyl p-toluic acid ester; and transesterifying the ester and one or more C4-C20 mono-functional branched, linear or cyclic aliphatic alcohols at a reaction temperature of 160° C. to 260° C., wherein the transesterifying is in the presence of a catalyst.