Preparation of trimethylolalkanes from alkanals and formaldehyde

摘要

Trimethylolalkanes are prepared by reacting an n-alkanal with formaldehyde and a trialkylamine in aqueous solution and then hydrogenating the product, by a method in which from 2.2 to 4.5 moles of formaldehyde and from 0.6 to 3 moles of trialkylamine are used per mole of the alkanal, and the reaction mixture is worked up by distillation either before or after the hydrogenation.