PROCESS FOR THE CARBONYLATION OF OXIRANES

摘要

A process is described for the carbonylation of an oxirane, such as ethylene oxide, which comprises reacting the oxirane under carbonylation conditions with carbon monoxide in a solvent, such as alkanol, for example methanol, in the presence of a cobalt catalyst and of an N-alkylated azole promoter, such as 1-methylpyrazole, and recovering the resulting carbonylation product, such as an alkyl ester of 3-hydroxypropionic acid, for example methyl 3-hydroxypropionate.