1.4- Butanediol. manufacture

Mitsubishi Chemical s 1,4-Butanediol Manufacturing Process First-Generation Process... 

Figure 10.1 Block flow diagram of Mitsubishi Chemical s 1,4-butanediol manufacturing process.

Butyrolactone. y-Butyrolactone [96-48-0] dihydro-2(3H)-furanone, was fkst synthesized in 1884 via internal esterification of 4-hydroxybutyric acid (146). In 1991 the principal commercial source of this material is dehydrogenation of butanediol. Manufacture by hydrogenation of maleic anhydride (147) was discontinued in the early 1980s and resumed in the late 1980s. Physical properties are Hsted in Table 4. 

Uses. Most butynediol produced is consumed by the manufacturers in manufacture of butanediol and butenediol. Smak amounts are converted to ethers with ethylene oxide. 

Uses. Butanediol is used to manufacture the insecticide Endosulfan, other agricultural chemicals, and pyridoxine (vitamin B ) (see Vitamins) (116). Small amounts are consumed as a diol by the polymer industry. 

Butanediol. 1,4-Butanediol [110-63-4] tetramethylene glycol, 1,4-butylene glycol, was first prepared in 1890 by acid hydrolysis of N,]S3-dinitro-l,4-butanediamine (117). Other early preparations were by reduction of succinaldehyde (118) or succinic esters (119) and by saponification of the diacetate prepared from 1,4-dihalobutanes (120). Catalytic hydrogenation of butynediol, now the principal commercial route, was first described in 1910 (121). Other processes used for commercial manufacture are described in the section on Manufacture. Physical properties of butanediol are Hsted in Table 2. 

Ma.nufa.cture. Most butanediol is manufactured in Reppe plants via hydrogenation of butynediol. Recendy an alternative route involving acetoxyiation of butadiene has come on stream and, more recendy, a route based upon hydroformylation of allyl alcohol. Woddwide butanediol capacity has climbed steadily for many years. In 1990 it was estimated to be 428,000 metric tons (141), as compared to a Htde more than 70,000 metric tons in 1975... 

Table 3 lists the manufacturers of butanediol, thek locations, and the processes used. 

Uses. The largest uses of butanediol are internal consumption in manufacture of tetrahydrofuran and butyrolactone (145). The largest merchant uses are for poly(butylene terephthalate) resins (see Polyesters,thermoplastic) and in polyurethanes, both as a chain extender and as an ingredient in a hydroxyl-terminated polyester used as a macroglycol. Butanediol is also used as a solvent, as a monomer for vadous condensation polymers, and as an intermediate in the manufacture of other chemicals. 

Ma.nufa.cture. Butyrolactone is manufactured by dehydrogenation of butanediol. The butyrolactone plant and process in Germany, as described after World War II (179), approximates the processes presendy used. The dehydrogenation was carried out with preheated butanediol vapor in a hydrogen carrier over a supported copper catalyst at 230—250°C. The yield of butyrolactone after purification by distillation was about 90%. 

Butanediol [110-63-4] (BDO) goes primarily into tetrahydrofuran [109-99-9] (THE) for production of polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG), used ia the manufacture of polyurethane fibers, eg, Du Font s Spandex. THE is also used as a solvent for PVC and ia the production of pharmaceuticals (qv). Lesser amounts of BDO are employed ia the production of polybutylene terephthalate resias and y-butyrolactone. 

Polyester and polyether diols are used with MDI in the manufacture of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers (TPU). The polyester diols are obtained from adipic acid and diols, such as ethylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, or 1,6-hexanediol. The preferred molecular weights are 1,000 to 2,000, and low acid numbers are essential to ensure optimal hydrolytic stabihty. Also, caprolactone-derived diols and polycarbonate diols are used. Polyether diols are... 

Polyurethane engineering thermoplastics are also manufactured from MDI and short-chain glycols (49). These polymers were introduced by Upjohn/Dow under the trade name Isoplast. The glycols used are 1,6-hexanediol and cyclohexanedimethanol. 1,4-Butanediol is too volatile at the high processing temperatures used in the reaction extmsion process. Blends of engineering thermoplastics with TPU are also finding uses in many appHcations... 

The pattern of commercial production of 1,3-butadiene parallels the overall development of the petrochemical industry. Since its discovery via pyrolysis of various organic materials, butadiene has been manufactured from acetylene as weU as ethanol, both via butanediols (1,3- and 1,4-) as intermediates (see Acetylene-DERIVED chemicals). On a global basis, the importance of these processes has decreased substantially because of the increasing production of butadiene from petroleum sources. China and India stiU convert ethanol to butadiene using the two-step process while Poland and the former USSR use a one-step process (229,230). In the past butadiene also was produced by the dehydrogenation of / -butane and oxydehydrogenation of / -butenes. However, butadiene is now primarily produced as a by-product in the steam cracking of hydrocarbon streams to produce ethylene. Except under market dislocation situations, butadiene is almost exclusively manufactured by this process in the United States, Western Europe, and Japan. 

Manufacturing. Almost all the THE in the United States is currendy produced by the acid-catalyzed dehydration of 1,4-butanediol [10-63-4]. Only one plant in the United States still makes THE by the hydrogenation of furfural (29). Du Pont recendy claimed a new low cost process for producing THE from / -butane that they plan to commercialize in 1995 (30—32). The new process transport-bed oxidizes / -butane to cmde maleic anhydride, then follows with a hydrogen reduction of aqueous maleic acid to THE (30). 

Plasticizers can be classified according to their chemical nature. The most important classes of plasticizers used in rubber adhesives are phthalates, polymeric plasticizers, and esters. The group phthalate plasticizers constitutes the biggest and most widely used plasticizers. The linear alkyl phthalates impart improved low-temperature performance and have reduced volatility. Most of the polymeric plasticizers are saturated polyesters obtained by reaction of a diol with a dicarboxylic acid. The most common diols are propanediol, 1,3- and 1,4-butanediol, and 1,6-hexanediol. Adipic, phthalic and sebacic acids are common carboxylic acids used in the manufacture of polymeric plasticizers. Some poly-hydroxybutyrates are used in rubber adhesive formulations. Both the molecular weight and the chemical nature determine the performance of the polymeric plasticizers. Increasing the molecular weight reduces the volatility of the plasticizer but reduces the plasticizing efficiency and low-temperature properties. Typical esters used as plasticizers are n-butyl acetate and cellulose acetobutyrate. 

The raw materials used are common and available from a variety of industrial sources and are always used as-received without further purification. All raw materials must be urethane grade, meaning mainly that the water content is less than about 0.05% by weight. If in doubt, water level should be measured.413,42 Bayer products are used where possible, but a detailed description of each compound is given so that substitutes from other manufacturers may be used. However, it cannot be overemphasized that extreme care must be taken when choosing substitutes because even small differences in these complex materials can cause marked discrepancies in results. Sources for common materials, such as 1,4-butanediol, are not specified as these are readily available... 

Ogawa et al. (1998b) have shown how 1,4-butanediol to 1,16-hexadecanediol and 1,4-cyclohexanediol, adsorbed on silica gel, can be reacted with acetyl chloride to give nearly 100% selectivity for the mono-acyl derivative. The above examples give an indication of the versatility of this strategy in the manufacture of fine chemicals. There are, however, many aspects associated with the role of mass transfer, which have yet to be studied thoroughly. 

In addition to the desired polymerization reaction, the dialcohol reactants can participate in deleterious side reactions. Ethylene glycol, used in the manufacture of polyethylene terephthalate, can react with itself to form a dialcohol ether and water as shown in Fig. 24.4a). This dialcohol ether can incorporate into the growing polymer chain because it contains terminal alcohol units. Unfortunately, this incorporation lowers the crystallinity of the polyester on cooling which alters the polymer s physical properties. 1,4 butanediol, the dialcohol used to manufacture polybutylene terephthalate, can form tetrahydrofuran and water as shown in Fig. 24.4b). Both the tetrahydrofuran and water can be easily removed from the melt but this reaction reduces the efficiency of the process since reactants are lost. 

The hydroformylation of acrolein cyclic acetals has received considerable attention in the recent patent literature as a route to 1,4-butanediol (76-52). This diol is a comonomer for the production of polybutylene terephthalate, an engineering thermoplastic. The standard method for its manufacture has been from acetylene and formaldehyde, as shown in Eqs. (37) and (38) ... 

Acrolein is manufactured from low-cost propylene, and its hydroformyl-ation to 1,4-butanediol or a precursor of it could provide a more economical route. 

The commercial application of PBT is at first glance very improbable. PBT is made of a more expensive raw material (1,4-butanediol vs. ethylene glycol for PET), is manufactured on a smaller scale than PET, has a lower melting point, and has slightly poorer mechanical properties than PET. 

After GHB was banned by the FDA in 1990 for over-the-counter use, GHB chemists tried to circumvent the ban by developing closely related chemicals called gamma butyrolactone (GBL) and 1,4-butanediol (BD). The chemical structures of GHB, GBL, and BD are shown in Figure 4.1. When GBL or BD is ingested, it is rapidly converted by the body to form GHB, and the effects become identical to that of taking regular GHB. Due to the 1990 FDA ban, manufacturers of nutritional supplements previously selling GHB quickly reformulated their product so it contained GBL and/or BD instead of the... 

Table 12.3 summarizes the uses of formaldehyde. Two important thermosetting plastics, urea- and phenol-copolymers, take nearly one half the formaldehyde manufactured. Urea-formaldehyde resins are used in particleboard, phenol-formaldehyde resins in plywood. 1,4-Butanediol is made for some polyesters and is an example of acetylene chemistry that has not yet been replaced. Tetrahydrofiiran (THF) is a common solvent that is made by dehydration of 1,4-butanediol. 

The manufacturing path of major monomers, succinic acid and 1,4-butanediol is shown in Fig. 15. Both monomers are manufactured from petroleum at the moment. There are several paths for the production of 1,4-butanediol. 

Another approach is to separate the products from the homogeneous catalyst using a two phase liquid system. For example, this method is used in the oligomerization step of the Shell Higher Olefins Process for the manufacture of linear a-olefins.5,9-11,330 A polar nickel catalyst containing a P- chelate ligand is dissolved in a polar solvent e.g. 1,4-butanediol, which is immiscible with higher oc-olefins, and recovery of the catalyst is easily achieved by simple phase separation. 

Diacetoxy-2-butene. Mitsubishi commercialized a new proces, the acetoxy-lation of 1,3-butadiene, as an alternative to the Reppe (acetylene-formaldehyde) process for the production of l,4-diacetoxy-2-butene. l,4-Diacetoxy-2-butene is tranformed to 1,4-butanediol used in polymer manufacture (polyesters, polyurethanes). Additionally, 1,4-butanediol is converted to tetrahydrofuran, which is an important solvent and also used in polymer synthesis. 

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