Patent ID: 6255534
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for preparing carbonyl compounds of the formula ##STR9##where R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom, an unsubstituted or C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkyl-monosubstituted to -trisubstituted C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 -alkenyl radical or a radical of the formula ##STR10##where R.sup.3 is a hydrogen atom or together with R.sup.4 is an oxygen atom, R.sup.4 is the radical OR.sup.6 or together with R.sup.3 is an oxygen atom, R.sup.5 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl radical having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and unsubstituted or C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkyl-monosubstituted to -trisubstituted C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 -alkenyl radical or a cyclohexyl or cyclopentyl radical and R.sup.6 is an alkyl radical having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a cyclohexyl or cyclopentyl radical or a radical of the formula --CH.sub.2 --CHO or --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --O--CH.sub.2 --CHO, by gas-phase oxidation of methanol or alcohols of the formula ##STR11##where R.sup.1 and R.sup.5 are as defined above, and R.sup.7 is a hydrogen atom or a radical OR.sup.8 wherein R.sup.8 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl radical having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a cyclohexyl or cyclopentyl radical or a radical of the formula CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --OH or --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --O--CH.sub.2 --OH, by means of an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of copper- and/or silver-containing catalysts, wherein the catalyst system used comprises at least one phosphorus-containing (>400 to 50,000 ppm phosphorus) copper- and/or silver-containing catalyst, which is not volatile under the reaction conditions and which is selected from the group consisting of a copper-phosphorus alloy, a silver-phosphorus alloy, copper phosphide, copper phosphate, phosphorus-containing metallic copper, or phosphorus-containing metallic silver.