Patent ID: 6846946
Filing Date: 2005-01-25
Classification: B01J,C07C

Abstract:
1. A method for making an organic product comprising the step of contacting an aqueous solution providing an aqueous phase and having a low concentration of a chemical species comprising a nucleophile selected from the group consisting of cyanide, thiocyanate, cyanate, carboxylate, sulfonate, carbonate, nitrite, azide, and iodide with: (1) an organic phase consisting of an electrophile, wherein said electrophile is an alkylating agent or an acylating agent presented in an amount to achieve an organic phase:aqueous phase ratio of 1:3 or less by weight; and (2) a phase transfer catalyst for transferring said nucleophile from said aqueous phase to said organic phase or to the aqueous-organic interface to enhance a nucleophilic substitution reaction in said organic phase or in the aqueous-organic interface between said nucleophile and said electrophile to form said organic product, wherein said low concentration of chemical species comprising a nucleophile is between 0.001 and 25 wt. % in said aqueous phase, wherein said organic product is selected from the group consisting of benzyl cyanide, alkyl cyanides, acyl cyanides, alkyl thiocyanates, acyl thiocyanates, alkyl cyanates, acyl cyanates, carboxylic esters, carboxylic anhydrides, alkyl sulfates, alkyl carbonates, nitroalkanes, alkyl azides, acyl azides, alkyl iodides, and acyl iodides, and wherein said contacting is performed at a temperature between 0 and 80° C.