GB1209321A - Process for the production of epoxides - Google Patents

Abstract

1,209,321. Epoxides. IMPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES Ltd. 17 June, 1968 [29 June, 1967], No. 30023/67. Heading C2C. A process for the production of epoxides comprises contacting an olefinic compound in a liquid phase with oxygen, a catalyst which comprises Cr, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Re, Th or U or a compound thereof and either (a) hydrogen and a diketone containing the functional groups: -CO-CO- or -CO-(X)-CO- in which X represents a -CHR- or -CR = CR- group in which R is a phenyl or alkoxyphenyl group, an alkyl or cycloalkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or hydrogen or X represents a group in which R<SP>1</SP>, R<SP>2</SP>, R<SP>3</SP> and R<SP>4</SP> are hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or alkoxy groups or (b) a reduced form of such a diketone in which at least one of the CO groups has been reduced to a C-OH group. Suitable olefinic compounds are ethylene, propylene, a butene, cyclohexene, butadiene, styrene, allyl alcohol, methyl vinyl ketone and allyl and vinyl acetate. The metal catalyst is preferably in the form of a compound soluble in the liquid phase, e.g. as a carbonyl, naphthenate or stearate or the metal catalyst and diketone may be supplied together as a complex. Suitable diketones include benzoquinone, anthraquinone, duraquinone, 2-ethyl or 2-tert.-butyl anthraquinone and acetylacetone. The preparation of 1,2-epoxy octane is described using chromium acetylacetonate and using molybdenum carbonyl and a reduced form of 2-ethyl anthraquinone.