GB463545A - Improvements in or relating to the production of boron compounds and their use as catalysts - Google Patents

Abstract

Dihydroxyfluoboric acid or its addition compound with boron fluoride may be used in place of boron fluoride in reactions where the latter functions as a catalyst. The reaction in question described are: the polymerization of unsaturated hydrocarbons such as ethylene or propylene if desired under pressure, the esterifying of organic acids with the appropriate alcohols to produce esters such as ethyl, methyl or isopropyl acetates, methyl benzoate and methyl anthranilate or with unsaturated compounds such as butylene, propylene, amylene or vinyl chloride to produce esters such as tertiary butyl acetate &c., the reaction of hydrocarbons such as benzene with olefines such as ethylene or propylene to produce alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons, the reaction of phenols with olefines such as propylene to produce alkylated phenols and/or phenol ethers, the reaction of a hydrocarbon, e.g. benzene, or an acid, e.g. acetic acid, with an acetylene hydrocarbon to produce vinyl derivatives, and the production of 2.4-isopropylphenol from isopropyl phenyl ether. According to one example, vinyl acetylene is passed into a mixture of acetic acid, mercuric oxide and dihydroxyfluoboric acid at 25--30 DEG C., the product being neutralized with sodium acetate and fractionated to produce methyl vinyl ketone and acetic anhydride.ALSO:Dihydroxyfluoboric acid is obtained by reacting boron fluoride with boric acid, or anhydrous hydrogen fluoride with boron oxide, and heating the reaction mixture to above the boiling point of dihydroxyfluoboric acid at the pressure employed. The reaction may be effected by passing boron fluoride into a suspension of boric acid in an inert liquid medium such as heptane or octane. When reacting anhydrous hydrogen fluoride with boron oxide, the latter reactant is preferably employed in excess and the hydrogen fluoride may be replaced by equivalent quantities of sulphuric acid and an alkali or alkaline earth fluoride, e.g. calcium fluoride. One mol. of dihydroxyfluoboric acid reacts with one mol. of boron fluoride to form an addition compound which is decomposed on heating with the evolution of boron fluoride. Dihydroxyfluoboric acid or the above referred to addition compound may be decomposed by concentrated sulphuric acid with the evolution of boron fluoride. Dihydroxyfluoboric acid or its addition compound with boron fluoride may be used in place of boron fluoride in reactions where the latter functions as a catalyst. The reaction in question described are: the polymerization of unsaturated hydrocarbons such as ethylene or propylene if desired under pressure, the esterifying of organic acids with the appropriate alcohols to produce esters such as ethyl, methyl or isopropyl acetates, methyl benzoate and methyl anthranilate or with unsaturated compounds such as butylene, propylene, amylene or vinyl chloride to produce esters such as tertiary butyl acetate, &c., the reaction of hydrocarbons such as benzene with olefines such as ethylene or propylene to produce alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons, the reaction of phenols with olefines such as propylene to produce alkylated phenols and/or phenol ethers, the reaction of a hydrocarbon, e.g. benzene, or an acid, e.g. acetic acid, with an acetylene hydrocarbon to produce vinyl derivatives, and the production of 2,4-isopropylphenol from isopropyl phenyl ether. According to one example, vinyl acetylene is passed into a mixture of acetic acid, mercuric oxide and dihydroxyfluoboric acid at 25--30 DEG C., the product being neutralized with sodium acetate and fractionated to produce methyl vinyl ketone and acetic anhydride.