US 6,982,339 B2
Production of N-aryl-2-lactam and N-cycloalkyl-2-lactam by reductive amination of lactones with aryl amines
Leo Ernest Manzer, Wilmington, Del. (US)
Assigned to E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del. (US)
Filed on Sep. 17, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/943,282.
Application 10/943282 is a division of application No. 10/396214, filed on Mar. 24, 2003, granted, now 6,828,278.
Prior Publication US 2005/0038264 A1, Feb. 17, 2005
Int. Cl. C07D 207/12 (2006.01); C09K 5/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 548—552 1 Claim
 
1. A process for preparing a refrigerant or air conditioning lubricant, the process comprising the steps of:
i) preparing N-cycloalkyl-2-lactam (IV) using a process comprising the step of contacting a lactone (I) with an aryl amine (II) in the presence of hydrogen gas and a metal catalyst, the metal catalyst being optionally supported, and, optionally, in the presence of a solvent;
OG Complex Work Unit Drawing
wherein:
(a) n=0–11;
(b) R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 taken independently are hydrogen, hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl, C1 to C18 unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, unsubstituted or substituted alkenyl, unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl containing at least one heteroatom, unsubstituted or substituted aryl, or unsubstituted or substituted heteroaryl;
(c) R7 is an aromatic group having from 6 to 30 carbons, and R8 is a fully or partially reduced derivative of R7; and
ii) contacting N-cycloalkyl-2-lactam (IV) with at least one refrigerant.