Tetrahydrofuran is produced by converting allyl alcohol to an allyl t-alkyl or -cycloalkyl ether of the general formula:
1 wherein R, and R2 each, independently of the other, represent a C1 to C4 alkyl radical, and R3 and R4 each, independently of the other, represent a hydrogen atom or a C1 to C3 alkyl radical, or wherein R1 represents a C1 to C4 alkyl radical, R2 and R3 together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached form a 5-membered or 6-membered cycloaliphatic ring, and R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a C1 to C3 alkyl radical, followed by reacting resulting compound of formula (III) under hydroformylation conditions with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a hydroformylation catalyst to form a corresponding aldehyde-ether of the general formula:
reducing resulting aldehyde-ether of the general formula (I) a corresponding hydroxy-ether of the general formula:
and cleaving resulting hydroxy-ether of the general formula (II) under dehydrating conditions to produce tetrahydrofuran. Typically R1 and R2 each represent a methyl group whilst R3 and R4 each represent a hydrogen atom. The alkene of the general formula:
released upon cleavage of the hydroxy-ether of formula (II) can be recycled for reaction with further allyl alcohol to form a further guantity of the ether of the general formula (III).
四氢呋喃是通过将烯丙基醇转化为通式如下的 t-烷基或环烷基
烯丙基醚而制得的:
1 其中R和R2各自独立地代表一个C1至C4烷基,R3和R4各自独立地代表一个氢原子或一个C1至C3烷基,或其中R1代表一个C1至C4烷基,R2和R3与它们所连接的碳原子一起形成一个5元或6元环脂族环、和 R4 代表氢原子或 C1 至 C3 烷基,然后在氢甲酰化催化剂存在下,在氢甲酰化条件下使得到的式 (III) 化合物与
一氧化碳和氢反应,生成相应的通式醛醚:
将得到的通式(I)醛醚还原成相应的通式羟基醚:
并在脱
水条件下裂解得到通式(II)的羟基醚,生成
四氢呋喃。通常 R1 和 R2 各代表一个甲基,而 R3 和 R4 各代表一个氢原子。通式中的烯烃
式(II)的羟基醚裂解后释放出的烯烃可以回收利用,与更多的烯丙基醇反应生成更多的通式(III)的醚。