METHOD FOR PRODUCING ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED BUTENOLS

摘要

Alkyl-substituted butenols having the formula (I): R¹-CH₂-CH-CR²-CH₂OH (I) wherein R¹ is a saturated or olefinically unsaturated alkyl or cycloalkyl group having from 4 to 16 carbon atoms and wherein R¹ is optionally substituted by an alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or alkaryl having up to 12 carbon atoms; R² is hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms are produced by a process which comprises: (1) reacting an aldehyde of the formula (II): R¹-CH₂-CHO (II) wherein R¹ has the same meaning as in formula (I), with the corresponding lower aldehyde to form an unsaturated aldehyde in an inert organic solvent; (2) continuously contacting an optionally calcined copper/zinc catalyst with the unsaturated aldehyde under isothermal conditions at temperatures of from about 45 to about 60° C. and under a hydrogen pressure of from 1 to about 300 bar.