Prodn. of all-trans 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene from butadiene - using catalyst comprising nickel cpd., organo-aluminium cpd. and activator

摘要

Prodn. of trans,trans,trans-1,5,9 -cyclododecatriene (I) is effected by cyclotrimerisation of butadiene (II) at 50-150 deg.C in an organic solvent in the presence of a divalent Ni cpd. (III), an organoaluminium cpd. (IV) and an activator (V). (IV) is a cpd. of formula AlR1R2R3 (where R1 and R2 are 4-methyl-5,7-octadien-1-yl, 2-(3-cyclohexen-1-yl)ethyl, cyclohexyl or ethyl; R3 is as defined for R1 and R2 or is OR3 or N(R3)2, where R3 is as defined for R1 and R2; or R1+R2+R3 is cyclododecane-1,5,9- triyl). (V) is a cpd. of formula (R)3SiOR' or N(CHR4-CHR5-O)3B (where R is alkyl; R' is alkyl, C6H5 or C6H11; R4 and R5 are H, Me, Et, C6H10 or C8H11). (I) is useful as an intermediate for dodecane-dicarboxylic acid, laurolactam, macrocyclic alcohols, ketones, etc. The process is highly selective, giving up to 98% yields of (I).