公开(公告)号：DE2625540A1

公开(公告)日：1977-12-22

申请号：DE2625540

申请日：1976-06-05

Applicant: BASF AG

Inventor： NISSEN AXEL DR ,  HEILEN GERD DR ,  WOERZ GERD DR ,  FLIEGE WERNER DR ,  WITTWER ARNOLD DR

IPC: B01J23/63 ,  B01J23/83 ,  C07C45/73 ,  C07C45/74 ,  C07C49/06 ,  C07C45/00 ,  C07C49/20

Abstract: A process for the prepn. of higher ketones of formula: R'CH2CH2COR2 comprises the reaction of an aldehyde of formula (I): R1-CHO with ketones of formula (II) CH3COR2 at 80-280 degrees C in the presence of hydrogen and a catalytic system, which contains an oxide or salt of a rare earth metal or mixts. of these and one or more Group VIII metals. In the above, R' is 1-20C alkyl, esp. 1-5C), aryl or cycloalkyl opt. substd. by alkyl, or 7-20C (pref. 7-10 C) aralkyl; the above gps. may also be substd. by OH or alkoxyl gps. inert to the reaction conditions; R2 is the same as R'. Typical cpds. are methyl isoamyl ketone used as a solvent and intermediate and 4-phenyl-butan-2-one used in perfumery. As a result of the catalyst which favours both the condensation and hydrogenation steps, the process is more selective, simpler, cheaper and gives higher yields compared with previous processes. Using acetone and methyl propanol, the catalyst is 10% Ni, 10% Co, 10% rare earth oxides (95% Nd2O3) on an alumina support giving a mixture contg. 40.8% starting materials and 34.3% 5-methylhexane-2-one. The pref. reaction temp. is 140-220 degrees C.