MANUFACTURING PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF alpha -BRANCHED CARBOXYLIC ACIDS HAVING A DECREASED CONTENT OF BETA-BRANCHED ISOMERS

摘要

A manufacturing process for the preparation of alpha , alpha -branched saturated 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 an oligomer containing from 7 to 25 carbon atoms and preferably from 8 to 17 carbon atoms derived from an alkylene having from 2 to 12 carbon atoms, and preferably from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, that the acid catalyst is composed of BF3/H3PO4 in a molar ratio of BF3:H3PO4 in the range of from 0.5-5.0:1.0, or of CF3SO3H, that the weight ratio of the catalyst relative to the mono-olefin is in the range of from 2.0:1 to 15:1, that the reaction is carried out at a temperature in the range of from 30 to 130 DEG C, that the carbon monoxide pressure is in the range of 20 to 200 bar. alpha , alpha -branched saturated carboxylic acids comprising higher proportions of highly branched isomers, of low branched isomers and of so-called non-blocking isomers and comprising lower proportions of so-called blocking isomers, and derivatives of said acids such as salts, esters and acid halides.