PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF 2-HYDROXYBUTYROLACTONE

• Main Authors: HENRYON, VIVIEN, MONBRUN, JEROME
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 21.08.2013
• Subjects: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS; CHEMISTRY; HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

The invention relates to a method for preparing 2-hydroxybutyrolactone (2HBL) from a compound or its salt or its oligomers, said compound fitting formula (I) CH3-S-CH2CH2CR1R2R3 Wherein R1 represents H R2 represents a group selected from OH; OR4 and OCOR4 wherein R4 represents a group selected from linear, cyclic, alicyclic or branches alkyl groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and aryl groups having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, optionally substituted with substituent(s) selected from linear or branched alkyl groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, halogens and hydroxyl, amino, nitro and alkoxy groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and OSiRR′R″ wherein R, R′ and R″ are selected independently of each other from linear, cyclic, alicyclic or branched alkyl groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, aryl groups having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, optionally substituted with substituent(s) selected from linear or branched alkyl groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or R1 and R2 represent together O, R3 represents COOH or a COOR5 group wherein R5 represents a group selected from linear, cyclic, alicyclic or branched alkyl groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, benzyl groups and benzyl groups substituted with one or two substituents selected from linear or branched alkyl groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, halogens and hydroxyl, amino, nitro and alkoxy groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or R3 represents a cyano group, method according to which a sulfonium of said compound is obtained, said sulfonium fitting the formula (II) [CH3][CH2CH2CR1R2CR3][CR6R7R8]S+X− wherein R1, R2 and R3 have the above definition, and R6 and R7 are selected independently of each other from H, linear, cyclic, alicyclic or branched alkyl groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and aryl groups having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, optionally substituted with substituent(s) selected from linear or branched alkyl groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, halides and hydroxyl, amino, nitro and alkoxy groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R8 is selected from H, linear, cyclic, alicyclic or branched alkyl groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, aryl groups having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, optionally substituted with substituent(s) selected from linear or branched alkyl groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and attractor groups notably those comprising a function selected from acid, ester, cyano functions and X represents a counter-ion, and the thereby obtained sulfonium is hydrolyzed and 2,4-dihydroxybutyric acid or its salt is cyclized into 2-hydroxybutyrolactone.