Patent ID: 6271423
Filing Date: 2001-08-07
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for preparing butenyl ethers of the formula ICH.sub.3 --CH.dbd.CH--CH.sub.2 --OR Iby reacting butadiene or butadiene-containing hydrocarbon streams with alcohols of the formula IIROH IIat elevated temperature and superatmospheric pressure in the presence of transition metal complexes containing ligands of compounds of elements of group V of the Periodic Table of the Elements to form an isomer mixture of butenyl ethers of the formula I and butenyl ethers of the formula IIICH.sub.2.dbd.CH--CH(OR)--CH.sub.3 IIIand, if desired, isomerizing the butenyl ethers of the formula III to butenyl ethers of the formula I, where in each case R is an alkyl or alkenyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms or an aralkyl group having from 7 to 11 carbon atoms and the radicals R may be substituted by hydroxy or alkoxy groups, wherein the catalyst used is a complex of a transition metal of group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements with ligands of the formula IV ##STR3##where M is an iron, cobalt, nickel or ruthenium atom, X is a bridge in the form of a substituted or unsubstituted methylene group or an alkyl-substituted silylene group, where n is from 0 to 3, R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 are, independently of one another, also independently of one another in the two cyclopentadienyl radicals, hydrogen or alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or aralkyl radicals having up to 40 carbon atoms or can be part of an isocyclic or heterocyclic ring system, where the two cyclopentadienyl radicals can also be bridged to one another via the respective radicals R.sup.1 to R.sup.4, Y is nitrogen, arsenic, antimony or phosphorus and the radicals R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are, independently of one another, also independently of one another in the two molecules of the sandwich complex, hydrogen or alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or aralkyl radicals having up to 24 carbon atoms.