METHOD FOR PRODUCING MONOETHYLFORMAMIDE AND DIMETHYLFORMAMIDE

Abstract: Monomethylformamide and dimethylformamide are produced by the catalytic reaction of formamide and methanol, using a quaternary ammonium compound as the catalyst.

Description: Technical Field This invention relates to a process for pre­ paring monomethylformamide (MMF) and dimethylformamide (DMF). It is more particularly directed to such a pro­ cess in which MMF and DMF are catalytically prepared from formamide and methanol. Background and Summary of the Invention DMF is a commodity in the chemical industry, widely used as a solvent. One of the common methods of preparing it is by the reaction of dimethylamine and carbon monoxide. This requires either a large plant for preparing the dimethylamine starting materi­ al, with its attendant huge investment (small plants are ordinarily uneconomical), or the large-scale pur­ chase of dimethylamine on the open market, neither of which is satisfactory from an economic standpoint. A satisfactory alternative would be a method whereby MMF and DMF are prepared by the reaction of formamide and methanol. Methanol is plentiful and inexpensive, and formamide is easily prepared from ammonia and carbon monoxide, both readily available and cheap. The reaction of formamide and methanol to form MMF and DMF is known, See, for example "A Study on High Pressure One-Step Synthesis of Dimethylformamide," Takezaki, Kitahama, Suzuki, Sugita and Yuasa, Kogyo Kagaku Zasshi 63, 1739-45 (1960) but as described in the prior art is not practical on a commercial scale because of low yields. We have now found that MMF and DMF can be prepared, easily and in good yield, by the catalytic reaction of formamide and methanol, using a particular quaternary ammonium compound as the catalyst. Detailed Description of the Invention The catalyst used according to the invention is a quaternary ammonium compound represented by the structure where R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ can be an alkyl radical of 1-12 carbon atoms; a hydroxy ethyl radical; a pyridyl radical; or a benzyl radical; and X can be Cl, Br, I, F or -OH. Most quaternary compounds of this type are available in the marketplace. Those which are not can be made by the reaction of a tertiary amine and an alkyl halide as described in "Introduction to Organic Chemistry," Stretwieser and Heathcock, MacMillan Publishing Co., NY, 1976, page 777. The quaternary compounds preferred for use according to the invention are tetramethyl ammonium bromide and tetraethyl ammonium iodide. Tetramethyl ammonium bromide is most preferred. The reaction proceeds according to the equation The reaction produces a mixture of MMF and DMF in proportions which can be varied as desired by changing the ratio of reactants (the reaction is stoichiometric, so use of two mols of methanol instead of one will produce more DMF instead of MMF). The reaction can be run batchwise or continuously. In the batch mode, the reactants are charged to a vessel in the desired proportion, together with the catalyst at a concentration of 0.1-5%, by weight of the reaction mass, preferably 0.5-1%. The reaction mass is then heated to and held at a temperature of 180-275°C, preferably 225°C. Lower temperatures than this can be used, but the reaction proceeds at a much slower rate, as would be expected. Temperatures above 275°C can also be used, but tend to promote the formation of undesirable by-products. The reaction is run at autogenous pressure, normally 500-2000 psig (3447-13790 kPa). When the reaction is complete, as determined by periodic sampling and analysis by gas chromatogra­ phy, the vessel is opened and the contents removed. The products, MMF and DMF, and any unreacted reactants present, can then be separated by conventional frac­ tional distillation, and the MMF and DMF products fur­ ther refined in the customary way if this is necessary. The process can be run continuously under the same conditions. Formamide and methanol are fed into a suitable reactor which contains the catalyst on a suitable support. The amount of catalyst to be used, and the residence time of the reactants in the reactor, are dictated by the size of the reactor and the conditions under which the reaction is to be run, and can be easily determined according to conventional chemical engineering principles. MMF and DMF are with­ drawn from the top of the reactor and then convention­ ally separated and refined. When this continuous mode is run in series with a continuous process for preparing formamide from ammonia and carbon monoxide, the combination provides an efficient two-stage process for making MMF and DMF directly from those reactants. EXAMPLES Those skilled in the art will be able to practice this invention more easily after referring to the following illustrative examples. These artisans will no doubt be able to compose numerous variations on the themes disclosed, such as changing the amounts of reactants slightly but insignificantly from those shown, substituting equiva­ lent or nearly equivalent reactants for those shown, or adding innocuous substances. All these variations are considered to be part of the inventive concept. In the Examples, all parts and percentages are by weight. Example 1 A reactor was charged with Methanol 130 parts Formamide 30 parts Tetramethyl ammonium bromide 4 parts The temperature of the reaction mass was raised to 225°C over a period of 30 minutes and held at that temperature for 120 minutes, with stirring. Samples were withdrawn after 0, 20, 40, 60, 90 and 120 minutes and analyzed by gas chromatography for formamide, mono­ methylformamide and dimethylformamide content, as a percent of the reaction mass. The results are shown in the following table: Example 2 The process of Example 1 was repeated, using tetraethyl ammonium iodide instead of tetramethyl ammonium bromide. The results are shown in the following table: Example 3 The process of Example 1 was repeated, using as a charge Methanol 140 parts Formamide 40 parts Cetyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride 2 parts Samples were withdrawn from the reactor after 0, 60, 90, and 150 minutes and analyzed. The results are shown in the following table:

Claims: 1. A process for the preparation of monomethylforma­ mide and dimethylformamide by the catalytic reaction of formamide and methanol, characterised by using as the catalyst a quaternary ammonium compound represented by the structure where R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ can be an alkyl radical of 1-12 carbon atoms; a hydroxy ethyl radical; a pyridyl radical; or a benzyl radical; and X can be Cl, Br, I, F or -OH. 2. The process of claim 1 in which the cata­ lyst is tetramethyl ammonium bromide. 3. The process of claim 1 in which the cata­ lyst is tetraethyl ammonium iodide.

Inventors: BELLIS, HAROLD EDWARD
Applicants: E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
Application year: 1986
Main classification: C07C233
IPC codes: C07C67, B01J31, C07C233, C07C231, C07B61