N-acetyl-para-aminophenol is prepared by subjecting 4-hydroxyacetophenone oxime to a Beckmann rearrangement in the presence of a thionyl chloride catalyst and an alkyl alkanoate as the reaction solvent. An integrated process is disclosed wherein 4-hydroxyacetophenone is reacted with a hydroxyl amine salt and a base to obtain the ketoxime of the ketone, e.g., 4-hydroxyacetophenone oxime, extracting the ketoxime product from the reaction with alkanoate ester and subjecting the ketoxime dissolved in the ester to a Beckmann rearrangement in the presence of a thionyl chloride catalyst.
5155273 - Production of acetaminophen - Owned by Hoechst Celanese Corporation (Somerville, NJ) [*] Notice:The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to September 4, 2007 has been disclaimed.
N-acetyl-para-aminophenol is prepared by contacting 4-hydroxyacetophenone oxime with a Beckmann rearrangement catalyst in an alkyl alkanoate reaction solvent. An integrated process is disclosed wherein 4-hydroxyacetophenone is reacted with a hydroxylamine salt and a base to obtain 4-hydroxyacetophenone oxime, the oxime product is extracted from the resulting reaction mixture with a substantially water-immiscible solvent, and the mixture of oxime and substantially water-immiscible solvent is contacted with a Beckmann rearrangement catalyst to produce N-acetyl-para-aminophenol. Novel Beckamnn rearrangement catalysts are used to limit by-product formation in the ester solvent.
A method is provided for purifying a crude N-acetyl-para-aminophenol (APAP) containing color bodies or their precursors, the method comprising: a) forming a wet crude APAP; and b) subsequently drying said crude APAP in the presence of a sufficient amount of an acetylating agent for a sufficient period of time to convert said color bodies or their precursors to substantially non-color bodies.
