Direct conversion of esters to carboxylates

Abstract

A calcium carboxylate is prepared by reacting water, calcium oxide, and a compound of formula (I):wherein R is a C1-C3 alkyl and R1 is a C1 or C2 alkyl. The reaction solution is heated to remove an amount of a co-product from the reaction solution. The calcium carboxylate may be recovered in a solid form from the reaction solution.

1 . A process for producing calcium propionate comprising:
 a. reacting water and calcium oxide to obtain a slurry;   b. reacting the slurry with methyl propionate, wherein the calcium oxide is reacted in a molar excess compared to the methyl propionate, to obtain a reaction solution;   c. heating the reaction solution to remove an amount of methanol from the reaction solution;   d. neutralizing the reaction solution to a pH of from 7.0 to 9.5 by adding propionic acid; and   e. filtering the reaction solution.   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising adding nitrogen gas to the reaction solution during heating of the reaction solution. 
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising recovering the calcium propionate in a solid form from the filtered reaction solution. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein the solid calcium propionate has a level of purity of 98.5% or greater. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the pH is from 7.0 to 8.0. 
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the filtered reaction solution contains from 23% to 28% (w/w) calcium propionate. 
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein step b. is conducted at a temperature of from 50° C. to 100° C. 
     
     
         8 . A process for producing a calcium carboxylate comprising:
 a. reacting water, calcium oxide, and a compound of formula (I):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein
 R is a C 1 -C 3  alkyl and 
 R 1  is a C 1  or C 2  alkyl, 
 
         to obtain a reaction solution; and 
         b. heating the reaction solution to remove an amount of a co-product from the reaction solution. 
       
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 c. filtering the reaction solution.   
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein the compound of formula (I) has fewer than six carbon atoms. 
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein the calcium oxide is reacted in a molar excess compared to the compound of formula (I). 
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein the compound of formula (I) is methyl propionate. 
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein the compound of formula (I) is ethyl propionate, methyl butanoate, or methyl acetate. 
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 8 , further comprising adding nitrogen gas to the reaction solution during heating of the reaction solution. 
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 8 , further comprising recovering the calcium carboxylate in a solid form from the filtered reaction solution. 
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 15 , wherein the solid calcium carboxylate has a level of purity of 98.5% or greater. 
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 8 , further comprising neutralizing the reaction solution to a pH of from 7.0 to 9.5 by adding an acid. 
     
     
         18 . The process according to  claim 17 , wherein the pH is from 7.0 to 8.0. 
     
     
         19 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the filtered reaction solution contains from 23% to 28% (w/w) calcium carboxylate. 
     
     
         20 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein step a. is conducted at a temperature of from 50° C. to 100° C.