Aldol condensation dehydration catalyst, a process for preparing the same and a process for preparing an aldol condensation dehydrate using the process

Abstract: The present invention provides an aldol condensation dehydration catalyst, a process for preparing the same comprising reacting an aluminium salt with at least one magnesium compound selected from the group consisting of magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxide to support thereon an aluminium compound and heating said supported product at a temperature in the range from 350 to 700°C, and a process for preparing an aldol condensation dehydrate by using the process.

Description: The present invention relates to an aldol condensation dehydration catalyst, a process for preparing the same and a process for preparing an aldol condensation dehydrate by using the process. As a catalyst for preparing aldol condensation dehydrates by condensing and dehydrating carbonyl compounds such as ketones, aldehydes or the like, that is a catalyst for dehydration by aldol condensation, there are known, for example, (1) a catalyst of supported type in which a calcium salt is supported on alumina and calcined at a temperature from 300 to 600°C (U.S. Patent No. 4,535,187) and (2) a catalyst of coprecipitated type in which a coprecipitation product obtained by reacting a solution of a magnesium salt and an aluminium salt with an alkali is calcined at a temperature from 300 to 600°C (U.S. Patent Nos. 4,086,188 and 4,476,324). However, the supported type catalyst (1) had defects such as the complicated preparation method due to the necessity of repeated operations of impregnation and drying until the catalyst reaches the desired concentration of calcium. The coprecipitated type catalyst (2) also had a defect that the coprecipitation product was hard to filter. Thus, neither of the catalysts were satisfactory as industrial catalysts. Furthermore, it is also known that a catalyst of supported type in which a metal salt is carried on magnesium oxide and calcined at 600°C produces successfully diacetone alcohol by the aldol condensation of acetone, but that the catalyst activity on supporting an aluminium salt is extensively lowered as compared to magnesium alone [Applied Catalysis, 48 , 63 (1989)]. WO 90/12645 describes polymorphic magnesium-aluminium oxide compositions which are highly effective catalysts for the aldol condensation of acetone to isophorone, and other base catalyzed reactions such as isomerization of olefins and aldol condensation of aldehydes. The present inventors have conducted earnest researches in order to find a more preferred aldol condensation dehydration catalyst. As a result thereof, they have found that a catalyst of supported type in which an aluminium compound is supported on a magnesium compound such as magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide or the like surprisingly exhibits a high activity as an aldol condensation dehydration catalyst. They have further continued various researches and finally accomplished the present invention. That is, the present invention provides an aldol condensation dehydration catalyst comprising reacting an aluminium compound supported on a magnesium compound which is obtainable by reacting a solution of an aluminium salt in a solvent with a dispersion of one or both of magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxide in a solvent so as to form a supported product comprising an aluminium compound on a magnesium compound and heating said supported product at a temperature in the range from 350 to 700°C after removal or separation of said solvent. The present invention also provides a preferred process for preparing industrially an aldol condensation dehydrate by condensing a carbonyl compound using this catalyst. The present invention is now described in more detail. The magnesium compound used in the present invention, is one or both of magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxide. Among these magnesium compounds, powders or pellets not less than 200 mesh (Taylor), preferably not less than 500 mesh (Taylor) are usually used. Although magnesium oxide may be either of light or heavy ones, the light one having a larger surface area is preferable. As the salts of aluminium, there are mentioned, for example, inorganic salts of aluminium such as aluminium nitrate, hydrochloride, sulfate and perchlorate, sodium aluminate, sodium aluminium sulfate and ammonium aluminium sulfate, and organic salts of aluminium such as aluminium lactate and the like. Among these salts, aluminium nitrate and lactate are preferred. The ratio of the amount of the aluminium salt used to the amount of magnesium compound is generally in a proportion of 1/2 to 1/100, preferably from 1/3 to 1/50 by atomic ratio. While the reaction of the aluminium salt with the magnesium compound to support thereon the aluminium compound can be carried out by adding the magnesium compound to an aluminium solution in a solvent, the addition of the aluminium solution in a solvent to the suspension of the magnesium compound in a solvent is preferred. As the solvent, there are mentioned, for example, water, a lower alcohol, a lower ketone and the like, among which water is generally used. While the supported product is obtained by removing a solvent, it can be also obtained by separating the solvent by an appropriate means such as filtration or the like. The supported product can be further subjected to washing. Calcination of the supported product is carried out at a temperature from about 350 to 700°C. Heating of the supported product at a temperature below about 350°C or exceeding about 700°C is not preferred because the catalyst activity is lowered. The period of calcination by heating, which depends on the heating temperatures, is usually in a period from 0.1 to about 10 hours. The catalyst according to the present invention is thus obtained, and the ratio of aluminium to magnesium is usually in a proportion of 1/2 to 1/50 by atomic ratio. The catalyst of the present invention is excellent as a dehydration catalyst by aldol condensation. When the catalyst is used as an aldol condensation dehydration catalyst, it may be supported on a carrier, or it may be diluted with a diluent such as glass beads or the like. It is also possible to improve the properties such as mechanical strength or the like by adding to it a binder such as alumina sol or the like. The reaction can be conducted by any means of batchwisely or continuously. When the reaction is conducted continuously, any catalysts in the type of a fixed bed or a fluidized bed can be employed. Moreover, the catalyst of which the activity has been lowered can also be regenerated by calcination in the presence of air. As the raw materials of the dehydration by aldol condensation, there are mentioned carbonyl compounds, for example, ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone and the like, and aldehydes such as acetaldehyde, butylaldehyde and the like. Condensation and dehydration reaction can be conducted in accordance with the well known methods. For example, when mesytyl oxide and isophorone are prepared with acetone, the reaction is conducted generally at a temperature from 250 to 400°C, preferably from 270 to 330°C, at a pressure from atmospheric pressure to 980.66 kPa (10 kg/cm²). The raw material is supplied generally at a rate such as LHSV (liquid hourly space velocity) from 0.1 to 10h⁻¹, preferably from 1 to 5h⁻¹. The catalyst of supported type according to the present invention has excellent properties as a dehydration catalyst by aldol condensation and gives efficiently dehydration products by condensation. The present invention is described in detail with reference to examples without limit thereto. Example 1 To 1142 g of deionized water in a 3-liter flask was suspended 103.8 g of magnesium oxide (surface area; about 150 m²/g) under the nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature from 25 to 30°C, and a solution of 193.3 g of deionized water and 96.7 g of aluminium nitrate nonahydrate was added dropwise to the suspension over a period of about 0.5 hour. The resulting mixture was stirred at the same temperature for about 3 hours, filtered and washed with 1142 g of deionized water, and the residue was dried at 130°C. The residue was next subjected to calcination at 550°C for 3 hours to give 81 g of a white solid. Example 2 To 300 g of deionized water in a 1-liter flask was suspended 100 g of the same magnesium oxide as used in Example 1 under the nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature from 25 to 30°C, and a solution of 100 g of deionized water and 93.1 g of aluminium nitrate nonahydrate was added dropwise to the suspension over a period of about 0.5 hour. Then, 500 g of deionized water was added to the mixture and the resulting mixture was stirred at the same temperature for about 3 hours concentrated under a temperature from 80 to 100°C/3.99 kPa (100°C/30 mmHg) and calcined at 550°C for 3 hours to give 80.6 g of a white solid. Example 3 To 450 g of deionized water in a 1-liter flask was suspended 40.3 g of the same magnesium oxide as used in Example 1 under the nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature from 25 to 30°C, and a solution of 32.15 g of deionized water and 17.86 g of aluminium nitrate nonahydrate was added dropwise to the suspension over a period of about 0.5 hour. Then, after stirring at the same temperature for about 3 hours, the mixture was filtered, washed with 450 g of deionized water and dried at a temperature of 130°C . The dried product was then calcined at 550°C for 3 hours to give 37.29 g of a white solid. Example 4 The procedure in Example 3 was repreated except that a solution of 42.86 g of deionized water and 7.14 g of aluminium nitrate nonahydrate was added dropwise to the suspension to give 35.96 g of a white solid. Example 5 The procedure in Example 3 was repreated except that a solution of 142.84 g of deionized water and 107.16 g of aluminium nitrate nonahydrate was added dropwise to the suspension to give 38.65 g of a white solid. Example 6 The procedure in Example 3 was repreated except that 58.32 g of magnesium hydroxide was employed in place of magnesium oxide and a solution of 64.29 g of deionized water and 35.71 g of aluminium nitrate nonahydrate was added dropwise to the suspension to give 35.84 g of a white solid. Example 7 To 20 g of deionized water in a flask having a volume of 300 ml was suspended 25 g of magnesium oxide under the nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature from 25 to 30 °C, and a solution of 100 g of deionized water and 9.16 g of aluminium lactate was added dropwise to the suspension. Then, after stirring at the same temperature for about 3 hours, the mixture was concentrated under a temperature from 80 to 100°C/3.99 kPa (100°C/30 mmHg) and calcined at 500°C for 2 hours to give 20.82 g of a white solid. Comparative Example 1 A white solid was obtained by calcining 100 g of the same magnesium oxide as used in Example 1 at 550°C for 3 hours. Examples 8 - 16, Comparative Example 2 In a reaction tube of stainless steel (internal diameter 16 mm⊘ x 250 mm) was filled 10 ml of a catalyst prepared in Examples 1 - 7 or Comparative Example 1 (formed into a particle size of 710 µm x 710 µm to 297 µm x 297 µm (24 - 48 mesh)), and nitrogen gas was supplied at a rate of 20 ml/min to maintain an internal pressure at 2.8 kg/cm²G. Subsequently, after the temperature of the reaction tube was raised to 300°C, acetone was supplied at a rate of 10 ml/hour. After the reaction for about 18 hours, the reaction mixture eluted was sampled and analyzed by gas chromatography to determine the content of the products. Then, the content of the products were determined while the flow rate of acetone was varied within the range from 5 to 60 ml/hour. The results are shown in Table 1. In this connection, the recovery of the reaction mixture was in the range from 98 to 99% based on the amount of acetone used. Example Catalyst Flow rate of acetone Composition of reaction mixture (% by weight) Acetone Mesityl oxide Isophorone Example 8 Example 1 10 ml/h 67.2 3 15.7 30 70 2.7 15.4 40 75.5 3.1 12.0 Example 9 Example 2 10 64.8 2.9 17.4 30 76.5 3.7 11.4 40 78.7 3.7 10.1 Example 10 Example 3 9 71.2 3.6 12.5 28 84.2 3.6 7.7 51.5 86.4 3.4 6.7 Example 11 Example 4 9.2 77.5 4.3 9.8 28.9 87.2 3.8 5.7 50.6 89.6 4.4 4.5 Example 12 Example 5 9.3 60.1 2.6 17 29.2 70.9 3.6 14.1 51.1 75.8 3.7 12.1 Example 13 Example 6 8.3 67.3 3.8 13.8 29 79.4 4.6 9.2 52.3 84.8 4.4 6.6 Example 14 Example 7 10.1 76.2 5.5 6.1 19.6 82 5.6 4.7 29.5 84.5 5.5 3.9 Comparative Example 2 Comparative Example 1 5 76.6 10.5 2.9 11.4 78.2 11.2 2.2 24.5 84.9 9.9 0.6 Mesityl oxide: 4-methyl-3-penten-2-one + 4-methyl-4-penten-2-one, Isophorone: 3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one + 3,5,5-trimethyl-3-cyclohexen-1-one

Claims: An aldol condensation dehydration catalyst comprising an aluminium compound supported on a magnesium compound which is obtainable by reacting a solution of an aluminium salt in a solvent with a dispersion of one or both of magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxide in a solvent so as to form a supported product comprising an aluminium compound on a magnesium compound and heating said supported product at a temperature in the range from 350 to 700°C after removal or separation of said solvent. A catalyst according to claim 1 obtainable by reacting an aluminium salt with light magnesium oxide. A catalyst according to claim 1 or claim 2 obtainable by reacting aluminium nitrate, hydrochloride, sulphate or perchlorate, sodium aluminate, sodium aluminium sulphate, ammonium aluminium sulphate, aluminium lactate, aluminium acetate or aluminium propionate with magnesium oxide or hydroxide. A catalyst according to claim 3 wherein the aluminium salt is aluminium nitrate or sulphate. A catalyst according to any one of claims 1 to 4 obtainable by reacting an aluminium salt with magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide in an atomic ratio of aluminium to magnesium of 1/2 to 1/100. A catalyst according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the solvent is water. A catalyst according to any one of claims 1 to 6 obtainable by reacting an aluminium salt with magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide having a particle size of 500 mesh Taylor or more. A process for preparing an aldol condensation dehydration catalyst according to any one of claims 1 to 7 comprising reacting a solution of an aluminium salt in a solvent with a dispersion of one or both of magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxide in a solvent to form a supported product comprising an aluminium compound or a magnesium compound, removing or separating said solvent and heating said supported product at a temperature in the range from 350 to 700°C. A process for preparing an aldol condensation dehydration product comprising condensing and dehydrating at least one ketone or aldehyde in the presence of a catalyst according to any one of claims 1 to 7 or produced according to claim 8. A process according to claim 9 comprising condensing and dehydrating acetone.

Inventors: FUKAO MASAMI, ISHINO MASARU, SASAKI KAZUAKI, SASAKI MASAO, SUZUKAMO GOHFU, FUKAO, MASAMI, ISHINO, MASARU, SASAKI, KAZUAKI, SASAKI, MASAO, SUZUKAMO, GOHFU
Applicants: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL CO, SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B01J21
IPC codes: C07B61, C07C45, B01J21, C07C49