PROCESS FOR MAKING 2,3-DIHALOPROPANOLS

摘要

A 2,3-dihalopropanol is made by reacting 2,3-dihalopropanal with a hydrogenating agent in the presence of a transition metal-containing catalyst, under conditions such that 2,3-dihalopropanol is formed. The reaction is particularly useful as Step (3) in a process to make epihalohydrin by: (1) reacting a 3-carbon hydrocarbon with an oxidizing agent to form acrolein; (2) reacting acrolein with a molecular halogen to form 2,3-dihalopropanal; (3) reducing 2,3-dihalopropanal to form 2,3-dihalopropanol; and (4) cyclizing 2,3-dihalopropanol to make epihalohydrin. The process produces epihalohydrin using only about one mole of halogen per mole of epihalohydrin. It also uses substantially less water than existing processes.