Production of the from 1,4-butanediol using a polybenzimidazole catalyst

摘要

A process for converting 1,4-butanediol to tetrahydrofuran using polybenzimidazole to catalyze the reaction. The conversion is accomplished by heating the 1,4-butanediol in the presence of the PBI. The THF product may be distilled from the reaction solution as an azeotrope with water. To function as the catalyst, the PBI must first be pre-treated with a strong aqueous acid such as sulfuric acid. The catalyst may be in the form of microporous resin beads, hollow fibers, or other forms of PBI. This process exhibits a high selectivity for producing THF without side reactions.