GB1559337A - Process for producing orthosilicic acid tetra alkyl esters - Google Patents

Process for producing orthosilicic acid tetra alkyl esters Download PDF

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GB1559337A
GB1559337A GB1276/79A GB127679A GB1559337A GB 1559337 A GB1559337 A GB 1559337A GB 1276/79 A GB1276/79 A GB 1276/79A GB 127679 A GB127679 A GB 127679A GB 1559337 A GB1559337 A GB 1559337A
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process according
reaction
active agent
silicon
alkyl group
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Dynamit Nobel AG
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Dynamit Nobel AG
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    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07FACYCLIC, CARBOCYCLIC OR HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS CONTAINING ELEMENTS OTHER THAN CARBON, HYDROGEN, HALOGEN, OXYGEN, NITROGEN, SULFUR, SELENIUM OR TELLURIUM
    • C07F7/00Compounds containing elements of Groups 4 or 14 of the Periodic Table
    • C07F7/02Silicon compounds
    • C07F7/04Esters of silicic acids

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  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Silicon Compounds (AREA)

Description

(54) PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ORTHOSILICIC ACID TETRA ALKYL ESTERS (71) We, Dynamit Nobel Aktiengesellschaft, a German company of 521 Troisdorf, bez Koln, Postfach 1209, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a process for producing orthosilicic acid alkyl esters.
It is known from German patent specification 1 768 781 to produce orthosilicic acid tetraethyl esters by reacting metallic silicon with ethanol in the presence of concentrated alkali metal ethylate solutions; however this method has the disadvantage that it achieves relatively low space-time yields. This disadvantage is reduced to a certain extent by the method of British patent specification 1 237 159 wherein the reaction is carried out in the presence of at least 70% by weight of the desired orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester, which results necessarily in a lower concentration of the alkali metal alcoholate in the reaction mixture.
Both methods are very well suited to the production of the silicic acid tetramethyl ester. However, problems arise with the production of silicic acid tetraethyl ester and higher esters, which problems result in a reduction in the material yield and the space-time yield; the causes of these problems are still unexplained. In the production of silicic acid tetraethyl ester and higher esters, the reaction rate with respect to the silicon put in at the outset decreases steadily during the course of the reaction without the reaction constituents being reacted to completion. This reduction in the reaction rate is quicker than the reduction in the concentration of the constituents. In the case of the production of silicic acid tetraethyl ester, this results, for instance, in only about 40% of the silicon used reacting, the reaction then ceasing despite a surplus of ethanol.
A possible explanation for the reduction in the reaction rate is that in the course of the reaction, products are formed which adversely affect the surface of the silicon with regard to its reactivity with the alcohol. It has now been found that this adverse affect on the reaction rate can be reduced by adding a surface-active agent to the reaction mixture.
According to the present invention there is provided a process for producing an orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester, each alkyl group of which has a carbon chain containing trom 2 to 6 carbon atoms, which process comprises reacting elemental silicon or an alloy containing silicon with an alkanol having a carbon chain containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms in the presence of an alkali metal alkoxide, the alkyl group of which is identical with the alkyl group of the alkanol, the reaction being carried out in the presence of a surface-active agent, to form the desired ester.
Preferably the ester produced is the ethyl ester, in which case the alkanol is ethanol and the alkali metal alkoxide is the ethoxide, preferably sodium ethoxide, also known as sodium ethanolate.
The surface-active agent may be added at any time during the reaction. If it is added at a point when the reaction rate has already dropped considerably, it has been found when producing the ethyl ester that a rise in the rate is obtained shortly afterwards to a value which is considerably higher than the value which obtains at the beginning of the reaction when no surface-active agent is present.
The addition of the surface-active agent right at the beginning of the reaction has been found to have the effect that the reaction between the silicon or alloy and the alkanol takes place without any appreciable hindrances, and the disadvantages described above, if they occur at all, do so only on a reduced scale.
There may be used as surface-active agents wetting agents, emulsifiers, penetrating agents or flotation agents,nsofar as these do not enter into disruptive reactions with the reactants or products. The amount to be added depends on the type of agent used. In general it is preferred to use small quantities below 1% by weight, relative to the silicon used, since these amounts suffice to cover the surface of the elemental silicon or the alloy containing silicon.
In one preferred embodiment there is used as surface active agent a nitrogenous organic base, for example a cyclic tertiary or secondary amine such as quinoline, isoquinoline, pyridine or piperidine. In another preferred embodiment there is used as surface-active agent one of the inhibitors commonly used in inhibitor-containing metal pickling solutions which are employed in metal treating and derusting processes. For example the inhibitor may be a diaryl sulfoxide, an alkylene sulfoxide or a dialkyl thiourea. The use of these compounds has the further advantage that they more or less strongly counteract the disruptive secondary reaction, mentioned hereinafter, which results in the formation of alkanes and water.
When flotation agents are used as the surface-active agent it can often happen, particularly when foamers are also used, that the reaction mixture foams up and the greater part of the elemental silicon or alloy containing silicon collects together with the foam in the upper part of the reaction vessel. It is then advisable to wash the foam, together with the silicon or alloy, via a suitable overflow into a second reaction vessel and to continue the reaction therein after adding a defoaming agent and fresh alkanol, alkoxide and possibly some of the ester product. The silicon or alloy thus washed over generally no longer shows the inertness described above and reacts like fresh silicon.
In principle, the process may be performed in the manner disclosed in German Patent Specification 17 68 781 or British Patent Specification 1 237 159. Thus with reference to the latter specification, there is preferably present at all times during the reaction at least 70% by weight of the orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester, based on the total weight of liquid present during the reaction. The concentration of the individual components in the system can be varied within wide limits. It is an advantage, however, to select the proportions so that they give a mixture which is capable of being easily stirred. It is preferred, too, that the alkoxide present becomes dissolved in the alkanol. It is also possible to carry out the process without excess silicon or alloy in the system, and to supply the silicon or alloy together with the alkanol only at the rate at which it reacts. The process according to the invention may be carried out in batches or continuously. Separation of the desired reaction product from the product mixture is preferably carried out by distillation.
During the reaction between the silicon or alloy and the alkanol, nascent hydrogen is formed, which in a secondary reaction hydrogenates the alcohol to a small degree, forming alkanes and water, (c.f. Houben Weyl VI/2 page 100). This water reacts in a further secondary reaction with the catalyst present, i.e. the alkoxide which thereby suffers reduced activity, and also with the ester formed in the alkaline reaction medium. The removal of the water from the system is preferably effected by partially distilling the reaction mixture, using the hydrogen which is produced or an inert gas, for example nitrogen, as an entraining gas. The aqueous, gaseous distillation products are condensed in a manner such that the condensate cannot run back directly into the reaction vessel.
Thereafter the distillate may be returned to the remainder of the reaction mixture in the reaction vessel via suitable dehydrating agents.
There may be a slight consumption of the surface-active agent during the course of the process because of loss during distillation.
Replenishment of the surface-active agent to make up for the slight consumption may be effected together with the addition of alkanol.
In addition to elemental silicon, it is possible to use an alloy containing silicon in the process according to the invention. Preferably there is used ferrosilicon or other silicon alloys with a proportion of silicon above 50%. The grain size of the silicon or silicon alloy is preferably not greater than 100 ,u, and more preferably from 2 to 20 ,u.
It is a preferred feature of the present invention that the process be carried out under pressure at a temperature which is greater than the normal boiling temperature (at one atmosphere absolute) of the reaction mixture. It is also preferred that the process is additionally or alternatively carried out in the presence of a compound containing a methoxy group which is not an alkali metal 2-methoxy ethoxide or 2-methoxy ethanol and which increases the rate of reaction.
Our copending patent application No.29927/76 (Serial No.1559335) from which this application is divided describes and claims a process for producing an orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester, each alkyl group of which has a carbon chain containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, which process comprises reacting elemental silicon or an alloy containing silicon with an alkanol having a carbon chain containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms in the presence of an alkali metal alkoxide, the alkyl group of which is identical with the alkyl group of the alkanol, the reaction being carried out under pressure at a temperature which is greater than the normal boiling temperature of the reaction mixture, to form the desired ester.
Our other copending patent application No.79/01185, (Serial No.1559336) also divided out of application No.29927/76, (Serial No.1559335) describes and claims a process for producing an orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester, each alkyl group of which has a carbon chain containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, which process comprises reacting elemental silicon or an alloy containing silicon with an alkanol having a carbon chain containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms in the presence of an alkali metal alkoxide, the alkyl group of which is identical with the alkyl group of the alkanol, the reaction being carried out in the presence of a compound containing a methoxy group which is not an alkali metal 2-methoxy ethoxide or 2-methoxy ethanol and which increases the rate of reaction, to form the desired ester.
WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A process for producing an orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester, each alkyl group of which has a carbon chain containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, which process comprises reacting elemental silicon or an alloy containing silicon with an alkanol having a carbon chain containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms in the presence of an alkali metal alkoxide, the alkyl group of which is identical with the alkyl group of the alkanol, the reaction being carried out in the presence of a surface-active agent, to form the desired ester.
2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the surface-active agent is a wetting agent.
3.A process according to claim 1 wherein the surface-active agent is a flotation agent.
4. A process according to claim 1 wherein the surface-active agent is an emulsifier or a pentrating agent.
5. A process according to claim 1 wherein the surface-active agent is a nitrogenous organic base.
6. A process according to claim 5 wherein the base is a cyclic secondary or tertiary amine.
7. A process according to claim 6 wherein the base is quinoline, isoquinoline, pyridine or piperidine.
8. A process according to claim 1 wherein the surface-active agent is a metal pickling solution inhibitor.
9. A process according to claim 8 wherein the inhibitor is a diaryl sulphoxide, an alkylene sulphoxide or a dialkyl thiourea.
10. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the surface-active agent is present in an amount of less than 1% by weight based on the silicon.
11. A process according to any one of the preceding claims which is carried out continuously and wherein there is produced a reaction mixture from which is removed the desired ester, hydrogen and surface-active agent, and to which is added further elemental silicon or alloy containing silicon and further of the agent.
12. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein part of the reaction mixture is removed from the reaction vessel by distillation, dehydrated and then admixed with the remainder of the reaction mixture.
13. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the alkyl group of the orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester and the alkanol is an ethyl group.
14. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the elemental silicon or alloy containing silicon has a grain size of from 2 to 20 ju.
15. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the alloy containing silicon is ferrosilicon.
16. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein there is present at all times during the reaction at least 70% by weight of the orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester, based upon the total weight of liquid present during the reaction.
17. A process according to claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described.
18. An orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester whenever produced by the process according to any one of the preceding claims.
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (18)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the reaction being carried out under pressure at a temperature which is greater than the normal boiling temperature of the reaction mixture, to form the desired ester. Our other copending patent application No.79/01185, (Serial No.1559336) also divided out of application No.29927/76, (Serial No.1559335) describes and claims a process for producing an orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester, each alkyl group of which has a carbon chain containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, which process comprises reacting elemental silicon or an alloy containing silicon with an alkanol having a carbon chain containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms in the presence of an alkali metal alkoxide, the alkyl group of which is identical with the alkyl group of the alkanol, the reaction being carried out in the presence of a compound containing a methoxy group which is not an alkali metal 2-methoxy ethoxide or 2-methoxy ethanol and which increases the rate of reaction, to form the desired ester. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. A process for producing an orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester, each alkyl group of which has a carbon chain containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, which process comprises reacting elemental silicon or an alloy containing silicon with an alkanol having a carbon chain containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms in the presence of an alkali metal alkoxide, the alkyl group of which is identical with the alkyl group of the alkanol, the reaction being carried out in the presence of a surface-active agent, to form the desired ester.
2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the surface-active agent is a wetting agent.
3.A process according to claim 1 wherein the surface-active agent is a flotation agent.
4. A process according to claim 1 wherein the surface-active agent is an emulsifier or a pentrating agent.
5. A process according to claim 1 wherein the surface-active agent is a nitrogenous organic base.
6. A process according to claim 5 wherein the base is a cyclic secondary or tertiary amine.
7. A process according to claim 6 wherein the base is quinoline, isoquinoline, pyridine or piperidine.
8. A process according to claim 1 wherein the surface-active agent is a metal pickling solution inhibitor.
9. A process according to claim 8 wherein the inhibitor is a diaryl sulphoxide, an alkylene sulphoxide or a dialkyl thiourea.
10. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the surface-active agent is present in an amount of less than 1% by weight based on the silicon.
11. A process according to any one of the preceding claims which is carried out continuously and wherein there is produced a reaction mixture from which is removed the desired ester, hydrogen and surface-active agent, and to which is added further elemental silicon or alloy containing silicon and further of the agent.
12. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein part of the reaction mixture is removed from the reaction vessel by distillation, dehydrated and then admixed with the remainder of the reaction mixture.
13. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the alkyl group of the orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester and the alkanol is an ethyl group.
14. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the elemental silicon or alloy containing silicon has a grain size of from 2 to 20 ju.
15. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the alloy containing silicon is ferrosilicon.
16. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein there is present at all times during the reaction at least 70% by weight of the orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester, based upon the total weight of liquid present during the reaction.
17. A process according to claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described.
18. An orthosilicic acid tetraalkyl ester whenever produced by the process according to any one of the preceding claims.
GB1276/79A 1975-07-19 1976-07-19 Process for producing orthosilicic acid tetra alkyl esters Expired GB1559337A (en)

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DE2816386A1 (en) * 1978-04-15 1979-10-25 Dynamit Nobel Ag METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ORTHOCIESEL ACID TETRAALKYLESTERS

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