PREPARATION OF ALKYLENE GLYCOL BY HYDROLYSIS OF ALKYLENE CARBONATE

摘要

PURPOSE:To accelerate the hydrolyzing reaction of an alkylene carbonate and obtain the corresponding alkylene glycol in high yield, by using a quaternary phosphonium salt gas as a catalyst. CONSTITUTION:An alkylene carbonate, especially ethyelen, propylene, or butylene carbonate is hydrolyzed in the presence of a quaternary phosphonium salt expressed by the formula (R1-R4 are alkyl, alkenyl or aryl, particularly R1-R3 are 1-8C chain or cyclic, alkyl, phenyl or benzyl which may have a lower alkyl substituent and whose R4 is 1-18C chain or cyclic alkyl, 2-4C alkenyl or benzyl; X is I, Br or Cl, especially I or Br) as a catalyst in an amount of 0.05mol% or more, preferably 0.5mol% or more based on the alkylene carbonate, to give the corresponding alkylene glycol in high selectivity.