VERFAHREN ZUR HERSTELLUNG VON REINEM NEOHEXANOL

For the production of neohexanol with a purity above 99%, a chlorine content of less than 10 ppm, and a sulfur content of less than 5 ppm, 3,3-dimethylbutyric acid with a chlorine content below 650 ppm, preferably below 100 ppm, is first esterified, optionally after distillatory separation into a portion richer in chlorine with a chlorine content above 650 ppm, preferably above 100 ppm, and into a portion low in chlorine with a chlorine content below 650 ppm, preferably below 100, with an alcohol boiling above 117 DEG C., preferably an octyl alcohol. The resultant ester is separated by distillation into fractions richer in chlorine with chlorine contents above 10 ppm and into fractions low in chlorine with chlorine contents below 10 ppm. The ester of low chlorine contents below 10 ppm is hydrogenated to neohexanol over a barium-activated copper chromite catalyst under a pressure of 200-300 bar, at 120 DEG -22 DEG C., and with catalyst loads of 0.05-1.0 liter of hydrogenation feed/liter of catalyst . hour. The high purity of the neohexanol permits catalytic dehydrogenation to neohexanal.