Processes for producing epsilon caprolactones and/or hydrates and/or esters thereof

摘要

This invention relates in part to processes for producing one or more substituted or unsubstituted epsilon caprolactones and/or hydrates and/or esters thereof which comprise subjecting one or more substituted or unsubstituted penten-1-ols to carbonylation in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst, e.g., a metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, to produce said one or more substituted or unsubstituted epsilon caprolactones and/or hydrates and/or esters thereof. The substituted and unsubstituted epsilon caprolactones and/or hydrates and/or esters thereof produced by the processes of this invention can undergo further reaction(s) to afford desired derivatives thereof, e.g., epsilon caprolactam. This invention also relates in part to reaction mixtures containing one or more substituted or unsubstituted epsilon caprolactones and/or hydrates and/or esters thereof as principal product(s) of reaction.