Patent ID: 6555706
Filing Date: 2003-04-29
Classification: C07C,C07F

Abstract:
A process for making an iminodiacetic acid compound from a monoethanolamine substrate, the process comprising:continuously or intermittently introducing said monoethanolamine substrate into a cyanomethylation reaction zone; continuously or intermittently contacting said monoethanolamine substrate with a cyanide source and a formaldehyde source in said cyanomethylation reaction zone to form a cyanomethylation product comprising an N-cyanomethylated monoethanolamine intermediate; continuously or intermittently introducing at least a portion of said N-cyanomethylated monoethanolamine intermediate from said cyanomethylation product into a hydrolysis/dehydrogenation reaction zone; and continuously or intermittently contacting said N-cyanomethylated monoethanolamine intermediate with a hydroxide source and a metal-containing catalyst in said hydrolysis/dehydrogenation reaction zone to form a hydrolysis/dehydrogenation product comprising said iminodiacetic acid compound, wherein said monoethanolamine substrate has the formula: R1 is hydrogen, hydrocarbyl, or substituted hydrocarbyl.