6-Hydroxyhexanoic Acid → epsilon-CAPROLACTONE

Participants

Reaction Steps

1,6-hexanediol and ε-caprolactone are prepared from a carboxylic acid mixture comprising adipic acid, 6-hydroxycaproic acid and small amounts of 1,4-cyclohexanediols which is obtained as a by-product in the oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanone/cyclohexanol using oxygen or oxygen-containing gases by water extraction of the reaction mixture, by esterifying and hydrogenating a substream to give hexanediol and cyclizing 6-hydroxycaproic esters to give caprolactone.

Provenance & Evidence