Patent ID: 8492596
Filing Date: 2013-07-23
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
1. A method for producing ditrimethylolpropane comprising reacting n-butyraldehyde with formaldehyde in the presence of a base catalyst to thereby produce trimethylolpropane and ditrimethylolpropane, wherein said method comprises: (I) reacting n-butyraldehyde with formaldehyde (1) in the presence of a base catalyst (1), to thereby produce a reaction mixture containing trimethylolpropane, ditrimethylolpropane, and 2-ethyl-2-propenal; (II) recovering 2-ethyl-2-propenal through distillation of the reaction mixture produced in I; and (III) directly adding, to a distillation residue obtained through recovery of 2-ethyl-2-propenal in II, the recovered 2-ethyl-2-propenal and formaldehyde (2), and optionally a base catalyst (2), to thereby allow the reaction for the production of ditrimethylolpropane to proceed, wherein, on the basis of 1.0 mol of n-butyraldehyde serving as a raw material, (a) the amount of formaldehyde (1) supplied is 2.0 to 3.5 mol; (b) the total amount of formaldehyde (1) and formaldehyde (2) supplied is 3.0 to 4.5 mol; (c) the amount of the base catalyst (1) supplied is 0.5 to 1.5 equivalents; (d) the total amount of the base catalyst (1) and the base catalyst (2) supplied is 1.0 to 2.5 equivalents; and (e) the amount of 2-ethyl-2-propenal recovered in II is 0.05 to 0.5 mol.