RECYCLING CATALYST IN PREPARATION OF DIMETHYLFORMAMIDE FROM DIMETHYLAMINE AND CARBON MONOXIDE

摘要

Dimethylformamide is produced by reacting dimethylamine with carbon monoxide in the presence of sodium or other alkali metal methylate catalyst, the procedure being such that the reaction mass always contains dimethylamine in an amount of at least 0.1 wt % in excess of the stoichiometric requirements of the reaction. The effect of this is to enable the catalyst containing reaction mass to be subjected to subsequent distillation without substantial loss of dimethylformamide or of catalyst and this renders unnecessary the costly pre-distillative catalyst removal usual in prior art processes.