Maleic Acid → Gamma-Butyrolactone

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

0.5g of the catalyst of Example 15, and then 50g of a 20 weight percent solution of maleic acid in water, were placed in the glass liner of a 300 ml autoclave, which was then sealed, purged several times with hydrogen and then pressurized with hydrogen to 1100 psig. The autoclave was heated to 160° C. and the pressure adjusted to 1850 psig. As the reaction proceeded, additional hydrogen was added when the pressure dropped 50 to 100 psi to bring the pressure back to or near the original pressure at reaction temperature. The reaction was effected for 170 minutes, the reactor and contents cooled to room temperature, and the gas volume measured. The gases were analyzed by gas chromatography. The liquid phase was also analyzed by gas chromatography after filtering out the solids. The conversion of maleic acid was 100 percent, and the yields of γ-butyrolactone and 1,4-butanediol were 31.0% and 38.0%, respectively.

Provenance & Evidence