Patent ID: 6488818
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: C07D,Y10S

Abstract:
In a process for isolating 3-(2â€²-acetoxyethyl)dihydro-2(3H)furanone (I) from a reaction mixture obtained by acetylating 3-(2â€²-hydroxyethyl)dihydro-2(3H)furanone, the improvement which consists essentially of isolating the 3-(2â€²-acetoxyethyl)dihydro-2(3H)furanone (I) by means of a plurality of distillation or rectification steps, whereinthe reaction mixture, prior to an initial distillation, is either i) first subjected to a preliminary distillation or rectification to remove acetic acid which is formed as a coproduct in the acetylation, and is subsequently extracted with an organic solvent, and the resulting organic extract is introduced into the initial distillation or rectification step, or ii) first treated with a strong mineral acid; in the initial distillation or rectification step, the reaction mixture is separated into a first fraction comprising the 3-(2â€²-acetoxyethyl)dihydro-2(3H)furanone (I) and constituents which have a boiling point lower than (I) which first fraction is recovered over the top, and a second fraction comprising constituents which have a boiling point higher than (I) which is recovered as a bottom residue of the initial distillation or rectification, and in a subsequent distillation or rectification step, the first fraction obtained in the initial step is separated into a low-boiler fraction of constituents which have a boiling point lower than (I) which low-boiler fraction is recovered over the top, and a bottom fraction consisting of 3-(2â€²-acetoxyethyl)dihydro-2(3H)furanone (I) having a purity of at least 99% by weight.