A method for the purification of a bisphenol A dianhydride composition includes contacting the bisphenol A dianhydride composition with a halogenated solvent to form a solution, and one or more of filtering the solution to remove ionic species; washing the solution with aqueous media to remove ionic species; crystallizing bisphenol A dianhydride from the solution to remove ionic species; and contacting the solution with an adsorbent to remove ionic species. A purified bisphenol A dianhydride composition is also described. The bisphenol A dianhydride composition can be used in the preparation of a poly(etherimide), and poly (etherimides) made from the bisphenol A dianhydride composition can be useful for forming a variety of articles.

A method for the purification of a bisphenol A dianhydride composition includes contacting the bisphenol A dianhydride composition with a halogenated solvent to form a solution, and one or more of filtering the solution to remove ionic species; washing the solution with aqueous media to remove ionic species; crystallizing bisphenol A dianhydride from the solution to remove ionic species; and contacting the solution with an adsorbent to remove ionic species. A purified bisphenol A dianhydride composition is also described. The bisphenol A dianhydride composition can be used in the preparation of a poly(etherimide), and poly (etherimides) made from the bisphenol A dianhydride composition can be useful for forming a variety of articles.

A method for producing an aromatic dianhydride includes reacting an aromatic diimide with a substituted or unsubstituted phthalic anhydride in an aqueous medium in the presence of an amine exchange catalyst to provide an aqueous reaction mixture including an N-substituted phthalimide, an aromatic tetraacid salt, and at least one of an aromatic triacid salt and an aromatic imide diacid salt. The method further includes removing the phthalimide from the aqueous reaction mixture by extracting the aqueous reaction mixture with an organic solvent and converting to the corresponding aromatic dianhydride. The extracting is carried out in an extraction column including a high specific surface area metal packing material and having an interface between the aqueous reaction mixture and the organic solvent that is at a level that is 14 to 85% of the height of the extraction column.

A method for producing an aromatic dianhydride includes reacting an aromatic diimide with a substituted or unsubstituted phthalic anhydride in an aqueous medium in the presence of an amine exchange catalyst to provide an aqueous reaction mixture including an N-substituted phthalimide, an aromatic tetraacid salt, and at least one of an aromatic triacid salt and an aromatic imide diacid salt. The method further includes removing the phthalimide from the aqueous reaction mixture by extracting the aqueous reaction mixture with an organic solvent and converting to the corresponding aromatic dianhydride. The extracting is carried out in an extraction column including a high specific surface area metal packing material and having an interface between the aqueous reaction mixture and the organic solvent that is at a level that is 14 to 85% of the height of the extraction column.

Disclosed are novel processes for the production of cyclic imide compounds such as N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI). The processes may be particularly well-suited for commercial-scale production of cyclic imides such as NHPI. Such cyclic imide compounds are suitable for use as oxidation catalysts, and specifically may be used to oxidize cyclohexylbenzene to cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide. Such an oxidation may be particularly useful in a process for the production of phenol and/or cyclohexanone from benzene via a process comprising hydroalkylation of benzene to cyclohexylbenzene, oxidation of the cyclohexylbenzene to cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide, and cleavage of the cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide to phenol and cyclohexanone. The cyclic imide production process may advantageously include water washing and reactant recovery steps to maximize purity and yield.

Disclosed are novel processes for the production of cyclic imide compounds such as N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI). The processes may be particularly well-suited for commercial-scale production of cyclic imides such as NHPI. Such cyclic imide compounds are suitable for use as oxidation catalysts, and specifically may be used to oxidize cyclohexylbenzene to cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide. Such an oxidation may be particularly useful in a process for the production of phenol and/or cyclohexanone from benzene via a process comprising hydroalkylation of benzene to cyclohexylbenzene, oxidation of the cyclohexylbenzene to cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide, and cleavage of the cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide to phenol and cyclohexanone. The cyclic imide production process may advantageously include water washing and reactant recovery steps to maximize purity and yield.

A method for producing an aromatic dianhydride includes reacting an aromatic diimide with a substituted or unsubstituted phthalic anhydride in an aqueous medium in the presence of an amine exchange catalyst to provide an aqueous reaction mixture including an N-substituted phthalimide, an aromatic tetraacid salt, and at least one of an aromatic triacid salt and an aromatic imide diacid salt. The method further includes removing the phthalimide from the aqueous reaction mixture by extracting the aqueous reaction mixture with an organic solvent using a sieve tray extraction column. The aromatic tetraacid salt is converted to the corresponding aromatic dianhydride. Aromatic dianhydrides prepared according to the method are also described.

The present invention can synthesize lobaric acid and four analogues thereof, which are five phenolic lichen metabolites isolated from an extract of the Antarctic lichen Stereocaulon alpinum and selectively inhibit PTP1B, by a simple, economic and efficient chemical synthesis method.

The present invention is directed to the preparation of phthalic anhydride compounds and the intermediate phthalide compounds. In particular, the invention is directed to an improved bio-based route from furanic compounds to phthalic anhydride compounds by reacting furfuryl alcohol (i.e. 2-hydroxymethylfuran) or an analogue thereof having a nucleophilic atom on the 2-methyl, with a dienophile comprising an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl comprising an α′-leaving group. The inventions further involved preparation of phthalic anhydride compounds, phthalic acid compounds and reduction products of the intermediate phthalide compounds.

The present invention is directed to the preparation of phthalic anhydride compounds and the intermediate phthalide compounds. In particular, the invention is directed to an improved bio-based route from furanic compounds to phthalic anhydride compounds by reacting furfuryl alcohol (i.e. 2-hydroxymethylfuran) or an analogue thereof having a nucleophilic atom on the 2-methyl, with a dienophile comprising an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl comprising an α′-leaving group. The inventions further involved preparation of phthalic anhydride compounds, phthalic acid compounds and reduction products of the intermediate phthalide compounds.