Hydrierung von Diethylsuccinat zu γ‐Butyrolacton, 1,4‐Butandiol und Tetrahydrofuran

The shortage of fossil resources necessitates the search for alternative sources for the production of important bulk chemicals. Diethyl succinate derived from biobased succinic acid can be used as a renewable alternative to fossil resources for the production of γ‐butyrolactone, 1,4‐butanediol and tetrahydrofuran. Commercially available ZnO‐free copper catalysts in a fixed‐bed reactor show promising selectivity to C4 products, but 1,4‐butanediol dehydration to tetrahydrofuran occurs over acidic sites, like alumina and zirconia.     

Kontinuierliche Reaktionsführung der selektiven Hydrierung von Benzol zu Cyclohexen in einem Vier‐Phasensystem

Currently, the production of nylon 6 and nylon 6.6 is based on the complete hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexane over nickel or platinum catalysts and its subsequent oxidation at very low conversions to a mixture of cyclohexanol/cyclohexanone. This mixture is further reacted to ?‐caprolactam or adipic acid. Alternatively, the reaction can be carried out by selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene and the subsequent hydration with acidic catalysts to cyclohexanol. A laboratory method for the selective hydrogenation of benzene in a continuous stirred‐tank reactor (CSTR) using a gas/liquid/liquid/solid (g/l/l/s) system is presented.