Abstract: A process for production of 1,3-propanediol including the steps: (a) hydrating acrolein in the presence of an acid hydration catalyst; (b) catalytically hydrogenating the reaction mixture of step (a), which reaction mixture comprises 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde and is freed of unreacted acrolein; (c) refining the reaction mixture of step (b) containing water, 1,3-propanediol and the by-products boiling higher than 1,3-propanediol; and (d) treating 4-oxa-1,7-heptanediol to form 1,3-propanediol by (1) removing a boiler sump comprising 4-oxa-1,7-heptanediol from the refining step (c), (2) treating the boiler sump in an aqueous solution in the presence of an acid catalyst at about 200 to about 300° C. to form a solution comprising 1,3-propanediol, (3) neutralizing the solution obtained is step (2), and returning the neutralized solution from step (3) to the refining step (c).

Abstract: A process for preparing 3-alkoxypropanol by heterogenously catalysed hydrogenation of 3-alkoxypropionaldehyde in alcoholic solution, wherein at least one metal from the group iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, silver, molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium, chromium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, ruthenium and/or platinum on an oxidic support is used as catalyst.

Abstract: 3-Hydroxypropanal is prepared by reacting acrolein with water under pressure and in the presence of an ion exchange resin while adding a carboxylic acid to the reaction mixture.