Patent ID: 7205416
Filing Date: 2007-04-17
Classification: C07D

Abstract:
1. A process for preparing a reaction product comprising an alpha-methylene lactone of the Formula II, said process comprising reacting a lactone of the Formula I with formaldehyde wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, and straight or branched C 3 –C 5 alkyl; at a temperature in the range of from about 100° C. to about 300° C. in the presence of a catalyst; said catalyst being made by a process comprising: (a) contacting (I) porous silica, optionally containing zirconium, with (ii) a solution comprising a solvent and an organic compound of a catalytic element, said catalytic element being one, two, or three members selected from the group consisting of potassium, rubidium, and cesium; (b) drying the product of step (a) to remove at least a portion of said solvent; (c) heating the product of step (b) to a temperature in the range of 350° C. to 550° C. to produce a catalyst precursor; and (d) flushing at a preselected flow rate an oxygen-containing gas over said catalyst precursor either during step (c), or after step (c) while the temperature is still in the range of 350° C. to 550° C. to produce a catalyst candidate comprising the catalytic element in an amount from about 0.1% to about 40% by weight of the combined weight of the catalyst candidate and the catalytic element, or the combined weight of the catalyst candidate containing the zirconium and the catalytic element.