| 摘要 |
Tetrahydrofuran is produced by converting allyl alcohol to an allyl t-alkyl or -cycloalkyl ether of the general formula: <IMAGE> (III) wherein R1 and R2 each, independently of the other, represent a C1 to C4 alkyl radical, and R3 and R4 each, independently of the other, represent a hydrogen atom or a C1 to C3 alkyl radical, or wherein R1 represents a C1 to C4 alkyl radical, R2 and R3 together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached form a 5-membered or 6-membered cycloaliphatic ring, and R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a C1 to C3 alkyl radical, followed by reacting resulting compound of formula (III) under hydroformylation conditions with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a hydroformylation catalyst to form a corresponding aldehyde-ether of the general formula: <IMAGE> (I) reducing resulting aldehyde-ether of the general formula (I) a corresponding hydroxy-ether of the general formula: <IMAGE> (II) and cleaving resulting hydroxy-ether of the general formula (II) under dehydrating conditions to produce tetrahydrofuran. Typically R1 and R2 each represent a methyl group while R3 and R4 each represent a hydrogen atom. The alkene of the general formula: <IMAGE> (IV) released upon cleavage of the hydroxy-ether of formula (II) can be recycled for reaction with further allyl alcohol to form a further quantity of the ether of the general formula (III). |
