1. A method of preparing ester-substituted diaryl carbonates, said method having a contact time, said method comprising contacting an ester-substituted phenol with phosgene and a phase transfer catalyst in the presence of an organic solvent and an aqueous phase wherein the aqueous phase is maintained at a pH of at least about 9.3 throughout the contact time, said phosgene being used in an amount corresponding to between about 0.95 and about 1.20 moles of phosgene per mole of product ester-substituted phenol diarylcarbonate.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said ester-substituted diaryl carbonate has structure I
wherein R1 is independently at each occurrence C1-C20 alkyl radical, C4-C20 cycloalkyl radical or C4-C20 aromatic radical, R2 is independently at each occurrence a hydrogen atom, halogen atom, cyano group, nitro group, C1-C20 alkyl radical, C4-C20 cycloalkyl radical, C4-C20 aromatic radical, C1-C20 alkoxy radical, C4-C20 cycloalkoxy radical, C4-C20 arloxy radical, C1-C20 alkylthio radical, C4-C20 cycloalkylthio radical, C4-C20 arylthio radical, C5-C20 alkylsulfinyl radical, C4-C20 cycloalkylsulfinyl radical, C4-C20 arylsulfinyl radical, C1-C20 alkylsulfonyl radical, C4-C20 cycloalkylsulfonyl radical, C4-C20 arylsulfonyl radical, C1-C20 alkoxycarbonyl radical, C4-C20 cycloalkoxycarbonyl radical, C4-C20 aryloxycarbonyl radical, C2-C60 alkylamino radical, C6-C60 cycloalkylamino radical, C5-C60 arylamino radical, C1-C40 alkylaminocarbonyl radical, C4-C40 cycloalkylaminocarbonyl radical, C4-C40 arylaminocarbonyl radical, and C1-C20 acylamino radical; and b is independently at each occurrence an integer 0-4.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the ester-substituted diaryl carbonate is bis-methyl salicyl carbonate.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said ester-substituted phenol has structure II
wherein R1 is C1-C20 alkyl radical, C4-C20 cycloalkyl radical or C4-C20 aromatic radical, R2 is independently at each occurrence a hydrogen atom, halogen atom, cyano group, nitro group, C1-C20 alkyl radical, C4-C20 cycloalkyl radical, C4-C20 aromatic radical, C1-C20 alkoxy radical, C4-C20 cycloalkoxy radical, C4-C20 aryloxy radical, C1-C20 alkylthio radical, C4-C20 cycloalkylthio radical, C4-C20 arylthio radical, C1-C20 alkylsulfinyl radical, C4-C20 cycloalkylsulfinyl radical, C4-C20 arylsulfinyl radical, C1-C20 alkylsulfonyl radical, C4-C20 cycloalkylsulfonyl radical, C4-C20 arylsulfonyl radical, C1-C20 alkoxycarbonyl radical, C4-C20 cycloalkoxycarbonyl radical, C4-C20 aryloxycarbonyl radical, C2-C60 alkylamino radical, C6-C60 cycloalkylamino radical, C5-C60 arylamino radical, C1-C40 alkylaminocarbonyl radical, C4-C40 cycloalkylaminocarbonyl radical, C4-C40 arylaminocarbonyl radical, and C1-C20 acylamino radical; and b is an integer 0-4.
5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said ester-substituted phenol is selected from the group consisting of methyl salicylate, ethyl salicylate, isopropyl salicylate and benzyl salicylate.
6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said phase transfer catalyst comprises a quaternary ammonium compound having structure III
wherein R3-R6 are independently a C1-C20 alkyl radical, C4-C20 cycloalkyl radical or a C4-C20 aryl radical and X\u2212 is at least one organic or inorganic anion. Suitable anions X\u2212 include hydroxide, halide, carboxylate, sulfonate, sulfate, carbonate and bicarbonate.
7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said phase transfer catalyst is selected from the group consisting of methyl tributyl ammonium chloride, tetrabutyl ammonium chloride and decyl trimethyl ammonium chloride.
8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said aqueous phase is maintained at a pH in a range between about 9.3 and about 12.
9. A method according to claim 8 wherein said aqueous phase is maintained at a pH in a range between about 9.3 and about 12 by the addition of aqueous alkali metal hydroxide, aqueous alkaline earth metal hydroxide, or a mixture thereof.
10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide.
11. A method according to claim 1 wherein said solvent is a halogenated solvent.
12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said halogenated solvent is methylene chloride.
13. A method according to claim 1 wherein said solvent is a non-halogenated solvent.
14. A method according to claim 13 wherein said solvent is toluene.
15. A method according to claim 1 wherein the phase transfer catalyst is present in a range between about 0.1 and about 2 mole percent based upon the number of moles of ester-substituted phenol.
16. A method of preparing ester-substituted diaryl carbonates, said method having a contact time, said method comprising contacting an ester-substituted phenol with phosgene, a phase transfer catalyst, and a tertiary amine, in the presence of an organic solvent and an aqueous phase wherein the aqueous phase is maintained at a pH of at least about 9.3 throughout the contact time, said phosgene being used in an amount corresponding to between about 0.95 and about 1.10 molar equivalents based on said product ester-substituted phenol diarylcarbonate, whereby at least 90% of the ester-substituted phenol is converted into product ester-substituted diaryl carbonate.
17. A method according to claim 16 wherein said phase transfer catalyst comprises a quarternary ammonium compound having structure III
wherein R3-R6 are independently a C1-C20 alkyl radical, C4-C20 cycloalkyl radical or a C4-C20 aryl radical and X\u2212 is at least one organic or inorganic anion. Suitable anions X\u2212 include hydroxide, halide, carboxylate, sulfonate, sulfate, carbonate and bicarbonate.
18. A method according to claim 1 wherein the tertiary amine is selected from the group consisting of triethylamine, diispropyl ethyl amine, tributyl amine, and 1,4-diazabicyclooctane.
19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the amine is triethylamine.
20. A method of preparing bis-methyl salicyl carbonate said method comprising contacting a two phase mixture of a solution of methyl salicylates in methylene chloride and an aqueous phase, with from about 0.95 to about 1.10 molar equivalents of phosgene and from about 0.1 to about 2 molar equivalents of a quaternary ammonium compound, said molar equivalents of phosgene and quaternary ammonium compound being based on the number of moles of methyl salicylate employed, said aqueous phase being maintained at a pH of between about 9.3 and about 12 by the addition of aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, whereby at least 90% of the methyl salicylate is converted into product bis-methyl salicyl carbonate.
21. A method according to claim 20 wherein said quarternary ammonium compound has structure III
wherein R3-R6 are independently a C1-C20 cycloalkyl radical, C4-C20 cycloalkyl radical or a C4-C20 aryl radical and X\u2212 is at least one organic or inorganic anion. Suitable anions X\u2212 include hydroxide, halide, carboxylate, sullfonate, sulfate, carbonate and bicarbonate.
22. A method according to claim 21 wherein structure III is methyl tributyl ammonium chloride.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A wick assembly comprising:
an enclosed wick casing extending between a first open end and a second open end;
a wick extending between the first open end and the second open end with at least a portion of the wick surrounded by the wick casing;
a base portion at the first open end, the base portion comprising a peripheral skirt that projects outwardly and downwardly from the wick casing and a textured inner surface that is shaped and sized to conform closely around an upwardly projecting pedestal; and
a restricted portion of the wick casing having a cross sectional area less than a cross sectional area of either the first open end or the second open end, wherein the restricted portion of the wick casing reduces an effective capillary flow capacity along the wick.
2. The wick assembly of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of the first open end is substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of the second open end.
3. The wick assembly of claim 2, wherein the wick casing is a tube.
4. The wick assembly of claim 3, wherein the wick casing is a cylinder.
5. The wick assembly of claim 1, wherein the restricted portion of the wick casing is defined by a minimum of one indentation in the wick casing.
6. The wick assembly of claim 1, wherein the restricted portion of the wick casing is defined by a plurality of indentations in the wick casing.
7. The wick assembly of claim 5, wherein the indentation is an annular ridge.
8. The wick assembly of claim 1, wherein the wick protrudes from the first open end and the second open end, and wherein the wick is adapted to absorb fluid fuel material at a base end thereof and to be lighted at an end opposite the base end.
9. The wick assembly of claim 8, wherein the base portion is adapted to provide a supply of melted fluid fuel material to the base end of the wick.
10. The wick assembly of claim 9, wherein the base portion is adapted to cause capillary flow of melted fuel material toward only the base end of the wick when engaged over a capillary pedestal.
11. The wick assembly of claim 9, wherein openings through the base portion are adapted to provide the supply of melted fluid fuel material to the base end of the wick.
12. The wick assembly of claim 1, wherein the restricted portion of the wick casing includes an indentation in the wick casing that fixedly maintains the wick in a preselected position.
13. A wick holder comprising:
an elongate enclosed wick casing extending from a base portion and having a first open end and a second open end, wherein the base portion includes an end wall and a down-turned annular skirt extending from the end wall in an opposite direction from the wick casing, and wherein the annular skirt has a textured inner surface that is shared and located to maintain a capillary space between the annular skirt and an upward projection surrounded by the annular skirt; and
a constricted portion of the wick casing, wherein the constricted portion restricts an effective capillary fluid flow capacity between opposite open ends of the wick casing.
14. The wick holder of claim 13, wherein the first open end is in the end wall and the second open end is opposite the first open end.
15. The wick holder of claim 13, wherein the constricted portion includes an indentation in the wick casing.
16. The wick holder of claim 13 further including a fin for transferring thermal energy away from the casing.
17. A wick assembly comprising:
a tube having a sidewall extending between a first open end and a second open end;
a base at one end of the tube for supporting the tube in a substantially vertical position, wherein the base portion comprises a peripheral skirt that projects outwardly and downwardly from the tube and a textured inner surface that is shaped and sized to conform closely around an upwardly projecting pedestal; and,
a wick at least partly disposed in the tube and extending between the first open end and the second open end.