GB875999A - Production of alkyl esters - Google Patents

Abstract

Polymers, e.g. polyvinyl chloride and copolymers of vinyl chloride with vinyl acetate, methyl methacrylate, diethyl maleate, dibutyl maleate and vinylidene chloride are plasticized with the following esters:-di-n-butyl, di-n-octyl, di-n-decyl, n-butyl n-octyl, n-butyl n-decyl, n-butyl n-dodecyl, n-butyl tridecyl, and n-butyl 2-ethylhexyl phthalates, and di-2-ethylhexyl, di-n-octyl and di-n-hexyl adipates, and the phthalates and adipates in which the esterifying radicals are derived from kerosene petroleum fraction. The invention comprises a specific preparative method for such esters (see Group IV(b)).ALSO:Alkyl esters of organic mono- or polycarboxylic acids are prepared by heating the acid with at least one molecular equivalent of a tertiary aliphatic amine and at least one molecular proportion of an alkyl halide having 1-20 carbon atoms, for each equivalent of acid to be esterified. A partial ester of a polycarboxylic acid may be used, e.g. an acid phthalate or maleate; such partial esters may be prepared in situ from the corresponding acid anhydride and an alcohol. An acid anhydride may be used in place of the acid, a molecule of water then being included in the reaction mixture for each anhydride group present. Preferred alkyl halides are the chlorides. Polycarboxylic acids may be mono- or polyesterified. Specified acids are acetic, propionic, butyric, caproic, caprylic, capric, lauric, tridecanoic, myristic, oleic, palmitic, stearic, acrylic, methacrylic, crotonic, isocrotonic, 3-butanoic, sorbic, malonic, succinic, glutaric, adipic, pimelic, sebacic, dodecanedioc, maleic, fumaric, benzoic, salicylic, phthalic, isophthalic, terephthalic, naphthalic, naphthoic, pyromellitic, trimellitic and the toluic acids; glycolic, lactic, b -hydroxypropionic, malic, citric and the various hydroxybutyric, hydroxyvaleric and hydroxycaproic acids; tartaric, methylmercapto-a -hydroxybutyric and ethylmercaptoa -hydroxybutyric acids. Many alkyl halides and tertiary amines are specified. The esters obtained may be used as plasticisers (see Group IV(a)).