Appeal No. 95-3754
Application 08/138,780
Appellants claim a process for making a mixture of 1,4-butanediol and 2-methyl-
1,3-propanediol which contains less than specified amounts of tetrahydrofuran and
isobutyl alcohol. The product is formed by hydrogenating an aqueous mixture of 4-
hydroxybutanal and 3-hydroxy-2-methylpropanal in the presence of a catalyst which
consists essentially of platinum and ruthenium on (-alumina. Claim 1 is illustrative and
reads as follows:
1. A process which comprises hydrogenating an aqueous mixture of 4-
hydroxybutanal and 3-hydroxy-2-methylpropanal in the presence of a catalyst system
that consists essentially of platinum and ruthenium supported on (-alumina to produce
1,4-butanediol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, less than about 0.1 moles of tetrahydrofuran
per mole of 1,4-butanediol, and less than about 0.1 moles of isobutyl alcohol per mole
of 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol.
THE REFERENCE
2
Stemmler et al. (Stemmler) 0,007,101 Jan. 23, 1980
(European patent)
THE REJECTION
Claims 1-20 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over
Stemmler.
2Citations herein are to the English translation of this reference, which is of
record.
2
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