Alcohol hydrogenolysis

The hydrogenation of unsaturated aldehydes IV can be a complex transformation, as depicted in Scheme 2. Although the desired reactions are normally either the formation of allylic alcohol V, or saturated aldehyde VI, by 1,2 addition of hydrogen across the functional group, 1,4-addition across the conjugated functions can provide the enol, VII. Over-hydrogenation can result either in further saturation or, for allylic alcohols, hydrogenolysis to the alkene VIII (which can, in turn, be further saturated). 

Many companies have patented sugar alcohol hydrogenolysis for PPG production from carbohydrates (eg, glycerol and sorbitol). However, the complex reactivity of the polyhydric alcohols has not been definitively elucidated. Consequently, an xmderstanding of selective CeO cleavage remains an important research challenge. 

Epoxide opening with nucleophiles occurs at the less substituted carbon atom of the oxlrane ting. Cataiytic hydrogenolysis yields the more substituted alcohol. The scheme below contains also an example for trons-dibromination of a C—C double bond followed by dehy-drobromination with strong base for overall conversion into a conjugated diene. The bicycKc tetraene then isomerizes spontaneously to the aromatic l,6-oxido[l0]annulene (E. Vogel, 1964). 

In addition to the preparation of l-alkenes, the hydrogenolysis of allylic compounds with formate is used for the protection and deprotection of carboxylic acids, alcohols, and amines as allyl derivatives (see Section 2.9). 

As a further application of the reaction, the conversion of an endocyclic double bond to an c.xo-methylene is possible[382]. The epoxidation of an cWo-alkene followed by diethylaluminum amide-mediated isomerization affords the allylic alcohol 583 with an exo double bond[383]. The hydroxy group is eliminated selectively by Pd-catalyzed hydrogenolysis after converting it into allylic formate, yielding the c.ro-methylene compound 584. The conversion of carvone (585) into l,3-disiloxy-4-methylenecyclohexane (586) is an example[382]. 

The Pd-catalyzed hydrogenolysis of vinyloxiranes with formate affords homoallyl alcohols, rather than allylic alcohols regioselectively. The reaction is stereospecific and proceeds by inversion of the stereochemistry of the C—O bond[394,395]. The stereochemistry of the products is controlled by the geometry of the alkene group in vinyloxiranes. The stereoselective formation of stereoisomers of the syn hydroxy group in 630 and the ami in 632 from the ( )-epoxide 629 and the (Z)-epoxide 631 respectively is an example. 

Hydrogenation of furfuryl alcohol can yield 2-tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, 2-methylfuran, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, or straight-chain compounds by hydrogenolysis of the ring. Ethoxylation and propoxylation of furfuryl alcohol provide usefiil ether alcohols. 

Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol is surprisingly resistant to hydrogenolysis under vigorous conditions, however, cleavage of the ring or side chain occurs (126,127). 

The first commercial production of fatty alcohol ia the 1930s employed the sodium reduction process usiug a methyl ester feedstock. The process was used ia plants constmcted up to about 1950, but it was expensive, hazardous, and complex. By about 1960 most of the sodium reduction plants had been replaced by those employing the catalytic hydrogenolysis process. Catalytic hydrogenation processes were investigated as early as the 1930s by a number of workers one of these is described ia reference 26. 

Hydrogenolysis Process. Patty alcohols are produced by hydrogenolysis of methyl esters or fatty acids ia the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst at 20,700—31,000 kPa (3000—4500 psi) and 250—300°C ia conversions of 90—98%. A higher conversion can be achieved using more rigorous reaction conditions, but it is accompanied by a significant amount of hydrocarbon production. 

Patty esters (wax esters), formed by ester interchange of the product alcohol and the starting material in the hydrogenolysis reactors, are later separated from the product by distillation. Unreacted methyl esters are also converted to fatty esters in the distillation step... 

The alcoholysis reaction may be carried out either batchwise or continuously by treating the triglyceride with an excess of methanol for 30—60 min in a well-agitated reactor. The reactants are then allowed to settle and the glycerol [56-81-5] is recovered in methanol solution in the lower layer. The sodium methoxide and excess methanol are removed from the methyl ester, which then maybe fed directiy to the hydrogenolysis process. Alternatively, the ester may be distilled to remove unreacted material and other impurities, or fractionated into different cuts. Practionation of either the methyl ester or of the product following hydrogenolysis provides alcohols that have narrow carbon-chain distributions. 

Isomerization and Hydrogenolysis. lsomeri2ation of propylene oxide to propionaldehyde and acetone occurs over a variety of catalysts, eg, pumice, siUca gel, sodium or potassium alum, and 2eohtes (80,81). Stronger acid catalysts favor acetone over propionaldehyde (81). AHyl alcohol yields of 90% are obtained from use of a supported lithium phosphate catalyst (82). 

Hydrogenolysis of propylene oxide yields primary and secondary alcohols as well as the isomeri2ation products of acetone and propionaldehyde. Pd and Pt catalysts favor acetone and 2-propanol formation (83—85). Ni and Cu catalysts favor propionaldehyde and 1-propanol formation (86,87). 

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