METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUS PRODUCTION OF PENTAERYTHRITOL AND SODIUM FORMATE Russian patent published in 2003 - IPC

FIELD: industrial organic synthesis. SUBSTANCE: pentaerythritol and sodium formate suitable for use in chemical, leather, and paper-and-pulp, and other industries are prepared as follows: acetaldehyde is allowed to react with excess of formaldehyde in presence of sodium hydroxide and boric acid or borax to complete conversion of both aldehydes at molar ratio acetaldehyde/formaldehyde/sodium hydroxide/boric acid or borax 1:(6-8):(1.95- 2.55): (0.01-0.03), sodium hydroxide being added portionwise: up to 60% of sodium hydroxide is added until acetaldehyde-formaldehyde reaction is completed to give pentaerythritol and the rest of sodium hydroxide is added later at 50- 70 C. Further, reaction solution is evaporated to achieve density 1.28-1.32 g/cu.cm and pentaerythritol is crystallized at slow cooling to 25 C. Crystals are isolated by filtration, washed with water (wash water is recycled into evaporation and pentaerythritol isolation stages), and dried, after which sodium formate is isolated by crystallization. Evaporation of solution to isolate pentaerythritol by crystallization is usually carried out at 80-95 C in vacuum 0.54-0.6 mm Hg and mother liquor after separation of pentaerythritol is evaporated to isolate sodium formate. EFFECT: increased yields of products and reduced power consumption. 3 cl, 1 tbl, 4 ex