Appeal No. 95-2715
Application 08/117,378
oxidation of olefins and Lecloux is directed to a chemical oxidation of olefins in the
presence of a catalyst where in each instance the epoxide forms across the ethylenic
double bond. The examiner's contention that epoxidation in Young does not occur across
the ethylenic double link is without merit. Young's examples support the appellant's
3
position, where Young employs propylene as the reactant in his epoxidation process to
form propylene oxide (See Examples I-V). Further, Le Duc’s general equation at column
4, lines 25-25, demonstrates the formation of the epoxide across the unsaturated olefin
link.
The examiner's contention that the claimed process does not require the formation
of an epoxide at the location different from the position of the olefin double bond is also
without merit. In the claimed process, an allyl alcohol (Formula II) in the presence of a
hydroxy containing compound (Formula III) forms an ether at the 3-position carbon, that is,
at the unsaturated olefin link and the hydroxy substituent of the allyl alcohol forms an
epoxide at the 1,2 carbon. (See Formula I). Thus the claim as drafted requires epoxide
formation at a location different from the unsaturated olefin link. As noted there are two
reactions taking place, a substitution reaction involving the hydroxy-containing compound
at the unsaturated olefin link which forms an ether and an epoxide reaction involving the
3 Hackh's Chemical dictionary defines epoxidation as an oxidizing reaction in which
an unsaturated olefin link is converted to a cyclic 3-membered ether. (See attached
definition).
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