PROCESS FOR THE OXIDATION OF TERTIARY AMINES TO AMINE OXIDES

摘要

A process for the oxidation of nonaromatic tertiary amines to the respective amine oxides. An aqueous solvent system containing the tertiary amine is formed with an initial pH about equal to or greater than the pKa of the tertiary amine. In the absence of an oxidation catalyst, this aqueous system is contacted with gaseous molecular oxygen at an oxygen partial pressure of at least about 50 psi and a temperature of at least about 80 DEG C. The resulting oxidation converts the tertiary amine to the respective amine oxide in fairly high yields without significant formation of other reaction products.