| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simply carry out intermolecular etherification of an alcohol and degradation of ether in high ether yield and good monoether selectivity without producing a by-product such as colored material by using a combination of an acid catalyst with a hydrogenation catalyst and water as a solvent. SOLUTION: When a monohydric or polyhydric alcohol (A) is etherified or an ether is subjected to ether decomposition in water phase in the presence of (B) an acid catalyst (e.g. formic acid, acetic acid or propionic acid) at >=100 deg.C (e.g. 120-380 deg.C) to carry out intermolecular etherification of the component A and ether degradation, the reaction is carried out in coexistence of (C) a hydrogenation catalyst which is stable to an acid [e.g. monovalent or polyvalent noble metal (compound) which is a series of ruthenium, rhodium, palladium or platinum]under hydrogen atmosphere (e.g. 1-15 MPa hydrogen partial pressure). The reaction is preferably carried out by using the component B in an amount of 0.1-20 wt.% based on polyol and the component C in an amount of 0.001-10 wt.% based on the component A or ether to be degraded. |
