Patent ID: 6703531
Filing Date: 2004-03-09
Classification: B01J,C07B,C07C

Abstract:
A process for the preparation of vicinal diols comprising asymmetrically dihydroxylating the corresponding olefin in the presence of a cinchona alkaloid using an oxidant in a solvent system consisting of water and at least one of acetone, acetonitrile and t-butanol, in a ratio of water:acetone, water:acetonitrile and water:t-butanol of 1:1 to 1:3, and water:acetone:acetonitrile in a ratio of 1:1:1; at a temperature in the range of âˆ’70 to 100Â° C. for a period in the range of 0.5 to 24 hours, and in the presence of a catalytic amount of a heterogeneous supported osmate catalyst of the general formula (Sâ€”NR3)2OsO4.nH2O wherein S is a support, R is an alkyl group, n is the number of water molecules, and recovering the pure vicinal diol by any conventional method.