(220b) Development Of LAB-Scale Process For Neopentyl Glycol

Neopentyl glycol (NPG) is a highly reactive, yet thermally stable, chemical intermediate. NPG is a valuable starting material for the manufacture of polyester resins, polyurethanes, synthetic lubricants, polymers and plasticizers.  The key raw materials required for the manufacture of NPG are isobutyraldehyde and formaldehyde, and the most prevalent method for commercial production is aldol condensation of the said aldehydes followed by the hydrogenation of the resulting aldolate.  This paper describes the development of a novel lab-scale process technology for Neopentyl Glycol. The cross-aldolization of isobutyraldehyde and formaldehyde was performed using phase transfer catalyst (PTC) as sole catalyst followed by hydrogenation over an environmentally friendly Copper-Zinc oxide catalyst.  The PTC promotes reaction between two aldehydes located in different phases of a mixture by transferring one reactant across the interface into the other phase, so that reaction can proceed efficiently. The PTC method is an alternative to commonly used alkali hydroxides, alkali carbonates, ion exchange resins and tertiary amine catalysts. We present the benefits achieved in terms of high productivity, better quality, smaller catalyst charge, control exothermicity, improved safety, enhanced environmental performance, etc. from the industrial viewpoint.