Patent ID: 7273956

Claim:
A process for preparing a solution of an alkali metal salt of formula (I), comprising: reacting an alcohol of the formula (Ia) HOYXR 1 (Ia) in a solvent mixture with an alkali metal salt represented by formula (II) MOR 2 (II), or reacting the alcohol of the formula (Ia) in a solvent mixture with an alkali metal hydroxide, thereby liberating an alcohol of formula (IIa) into the solvent mixture HOR 2 (IIa) or liberating water into the solvent mixture; and distilling a part of the liberated alcohol of formula (IIa) or a part of the liberated water from the solvent mixture, initially, without addition of an entrainer; and subsequently, distilling a remainder of the liberated alcohol of formula (IIa) or the liberated water from the solvent mixture with the aid of at least one organic solvent as entrainer; thereby obtaining said solution of said alkali metal salt of the formula (I) MOYXR 1 (I); wherein in formula (I) and in formula (II), M is Li, Na, K, Rb or Cs; wherein in formula (I) and in formula (Ia): Y is (C 1 -C 8 )-alkylene, X is O, S or NR 1 , and R 1 is H, (C 1 -C 8 )-alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )-alkenyl, (C 2 -C 8 )-alkynyl, (C 3 -C 8 )-cycloalkyl, (C 6 -C 18 )-aryl, (C 7 -C 19 )-aralkyl, (C 3 -C 18 )-heteroaryl, (C 4 -C 19 )-heteroaralkyl, ((C 1 -C 8 )-alkyl) 1-3 -(C 3 -C 8 )-cycloalkyl, ((C 1 -C 8 )-alkyl) 1-3 -(C 6 -C 18 )-aryl or ((C 1 -C 8 )-alkyl) 1-3 -(C 3 -C 18 )-heteroaryl; and wherein in formula (II) and in formula (IIa), R 2 is methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, sec-butyl, isobutyl or tert-butyl.