PRODUCTION OF DIMERIZED ALDEHYDE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a dimerized aldehyde in high selectivity while suppressing the production of high-boiling by-products such as trimerized aldehyde by subjecting an aldehyde to condensation reaction and dehydration reaction in the presence of an aqueous solution of a basic catalyst. SOLUTION: The objective compound is obtained by condensation reaction and dehydration reaction of a starting aldehyde (preferably n-butyraldehyde) in the presence of an aqueous solution of a basic catalyst. An oil phase including the starting aldehyde is dispersed in the aqueous phase of the basic catalyst aqueous solution so that the droplets may have an average particle size (ds) of <=500μm defined by the formula: the average particle size (ds)=ΣXi3Ni/ΣXi2 Ni [Xi is the maximum diameter inμm of liquid droplets; Ni is the count of the maximum droplets. The volume ratio of the oil phase of the starting aldehyde to the total phases of the catalyst aqueous phase and the aldehyde oil phase is preferably <=0.6. The concentration of the basic catalyst is preferably 0.5-20 wt.% in the aqueous solution.