Patent ID: 6350922
Filing Date: 2002-02-26
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for making 2,3-dihalopropanol comprising the step of reacting 2,3-dihalopropanal with a hydrogenating agent in the presence of a heterogeneous mixed transition metal catalyst under the conditions such that 2,3-dihalopropanol is formed, wherein the heterogeneous mixed transition metal catalyst comprises an iridium metal as a first transition metal and at least a second transition metal selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, iron, molybdenum, tungsten, rhenium, osmium, or vanadium; and wherein the atomic ratio of iridium metal to said second transition metal is from about 0.02 to about 15 such that iridium metal plus the second transition metal used as a mixed metal catalyst provides a sustained high catalytic activity and a high selectivity to the 2,3-dihalopropanol superior to the pure iridium metal used as a metal catalyst.