VERFAHREN ZUR GEWINNUNG VON TRIALKYLAMINEN UND METHYLFORMIAT BEI DER HERSTELLUNG VON TRIMETHYLOLALKANEN

摘要

Trialkylamines and methyl formate are recovered from reaction mixtures obtained in the preparation of trimethylolalkanes by reaction of n-alkanals with from 2.2 to 4.5 moles of formaldehyde in aqueous solution in the presence of from 0.6 to 3 mole of trialkylamine, each quantity based on 1 mole of alkanal, and subsequent hydrogenation in a process wherein the crude reaction mixture a) is heated to from 100 DEG to 200 DEG C., the water present in the reaction mixture is substantially separated off by distillation, together with any excess free trialkylamine, the trialkylamine present in the form of a trialkylammonium formate is freed to form a trimethylolalkane formate, the trialkylamine is distilled off and the trimethylolalkane formate is transesterified with methanol to trimethylolalkane and methyl formate in the presence or absence of a catalytic amount of an alkali metal alkoxide or alkaline earth metal alkoxide, or b) is substantially dewatered, any excess free trialkylamine being removed at the same time, the trialkylamine present in the form of a trialkylammonium formate is separated off by admixing the remaining mixture with methanol and heating the admixture to from 100 DEG to 200 DEG C. to form methyl formate and trialkylamine.