Improved, controlled temperature process for making 2,2'-oxodisuccinates useful as laundry detergent builders

摘要

High yields of 2,2 min -oxodisuccinate are secured by reacting maleate and malate in aqueous alkaline media containing mixtures of particular divalent (e.g., Ca2+) and solubilizing monovalent (e.g., Na+) cations. In a preferred embodiment, the process has both an elevated temperature primary reaction step and one or more low temperature maturation steps. Yields of 2,2 min -oxodisuccinate are increased and formation of fumarate by-product is minimized. Malate, useful as a starting-material in the process, is also provided near-quantitatively by heating an aqueous alkaline mixture of maleate and excess of the divalent cations calcium, magnesium or mixtures thereof in a reactor at autogenous pressures and at temperatures above reflux, yielding an unusual, typically granular solid form of the divalent metal malate salt.