	US 7,550,632 B2
	Methods of treating triethanolamine with acid components and basic components, and triethanolamine compositions containing the same
Frank Haese, Bollingstedt (Germany); Johann-Peter Melder, Böhl-Iggelheim (Germany); Roman Dostalek, Neuleiningen (Germany); and Manfred Julius, Limburgerhof (Germany)
Assigned to BASF SE, Ludwigshafen (Germany)
Appl. No. 11/661,544 PCT Filed Aug. 04, 2005, PCT No. PCT/EP2005/008441 § 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Feb. 27, 2007, PCT Pub. No. WO2006/024358, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 09, 2006.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2004 042 453 (DE), filed on Aug. 31, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2007/0276161 A1, Nov. 29, 2007 Prior Publication US 2009/0131722 A9, May 21, 2009
Int. Cl. C07C 209/84 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 564—497

20 Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) providing a composition comprising triethanolamine; and

(b) contacting the composition with an acid component and a basic component;

wherein the acid component comprises an acid selected from the group consisting of phosphorous acid, hypophosphorous acid and mixtures thereof; and wherein the basic component comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, ammonium hydroxides according to general formula (I), and mixtures thereof:

[R¹R²R³(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium] hydroxide (I)

wherein R¹, R²and R³each independently represents a C_1-30alkyl or a C_2-10hydroxyalkyl; with the proviso that where the basic component comprises an alkali metal hydroxide, the molar ratio of acid component: basic component is 1:0.1 to 1:1, and where the basic component comprises an alkaline earth metal hydroxide, the molar ratio of acid component: basic component is 1:0.05 to 1:0.5.