| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To prepare an alkylene glycol in high yield, using nearly stoichiometric amount of water, without using CO2 gas, by hydrating an alkylene oxide with water in the presence of an alkylene carbonate, using an ammonium salt as a catalyst, thereby suppressing the side reactions. CONSTITUTION:An alkylene carbonate such as ethylene carbonate is added to an alkylene oxide such as ethylene oxide, and the mixture is reacted with water in the presence of an ammonium salt catalyst of formula (R1-4 are H, alkyl, alkenyl, or aryl; X is I, Br, or Cl) such as tetramethyl ammonium iodide, to afford the objective compound such as ethylene glycol. The amount of water is from slightly excess to about 2.5 times the stoichiometric amount, and the amount of the catalyst is >=0.05% based on the alkylene oxide. EFFECT:The reaction system does not contain a large amount of gaseous phase, and the reaction can be carried out smoothly with easy operation. |
