MANUFACTURING PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF A, A-BRANCHED ALKANE CARBOXYLIC ACIDS PROVIDING ESTERS WITH AN IMPROVED SOFTNESS

摘要

A manufacturing process for the preparation of a , a- branched alkane carboxylic acids, by reacting a mono- olefin or a precursor thereof, with carbon monoxide in the presence of a strong acid catalyst characterized in that the starting olefin is a dimmer C8 or trimer C12 derived from n-butene, which predominantly comprise 2- butene, that the acid .catalyst is composed of BF3/H3PO4 in a molar ratio of BF3:H3PO4 in the range of from 0.5:1.0 to 5.0:1.0, or of CF3SO3H, that the weight ratio of the catalyst relative to the mono-olefin is in the range of from 1:1 to 10:1, that the reaction is carried out at a temperature in the range of from 60 to 140 °C, and with an initial water content in the catalyst system in the range of from 8 to 25 wt%; and vinyl esters and glycidyl esters derived from said carboxylic acids.