1,4-Butanediol from Allyl Alcohol

Early in 1987, ARCO announced plans to build a 75 million Ib/yr plant for making 1,4-butanediol from allyl alcohol on the basis of patents licensed from Kuraray. We previously evaluated this route in PEP Report No. 98A on Polybutylene Terephthalate and 1,4-Butanediol , issued in November 1977.

This review presents an updated version of the 1,4-butanediol from allyl alcohol route based on recent Kuraray/Daicel patents. For comparison, updated costs are provided for the maleic anhydride route to 1,1-butanediol, which is under development (PEP Report No. 189, issued January 1987), and the commercial acetylene/formaldehyde route (see PEP Reports Nos. 96, 96A, and 169).