Patent ID: 6271410
Filing Date: 2001-08-07
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
An improved process for preparing a C.sub.3-12 alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl and cycloalkyl cyanoacetate product, which process comprises:esterifying a C.sub.3-12 alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl or cycloalkyl alcohol by reaction with cyanoacetic acid in the presence of an acid catalyst in a reaction zone in accordance with reactionCNCH.sub.2 COOH+R--OH.fwdarw..sup.(cat) CNCH.sub.2 COOR+H.sub.2 O (I),wherein R is a C.sub.3-12 alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl or cycloalkyl, andwhere the improvement comprises:(a) combining the cyanoacetate acid in crystalline form with the alcohol in a ratio from about 1:1.1 to about 1:4;(b) heating the reaction mixture of step (a);(c) removing the by-product water from the reaction mixture by distillation until the esterification reaction is substantially complete and substantially all of the water has been removed from the reaction zone;(d) removing the remaining alcohol from the reaction zone by distillation; and(e) recovering the cyanoacetate product.