# US 10,479,743 B2 · Process for the separation of ethylbenzene

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- Number: US 10,479,743 B2
- Document ID: US10479743B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/506,363
- Filed: 2015-09-04
- Published: 2017-08-24
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-05
- Assignees: SCG Chemicals Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Scg Chemicals Company Limited
- Inventors: Attapong Thirasak; Alisa Kammafoo; Arnat Prombunglum
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479743B2

## CPC

- C07C 7/08: by extractive distillation
- B01D 3/36: Azeotropic distillation
- B01D 3/38: Steam distillation
- B01D 3/40: Extractive distillation
- C07C 7/06: by azeotropic distillation
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)

## Abstract

Ethylbenzene can be separated from a C8 aromatics mixture containing ethylbenzene and a close boiling compound by extractive distillation using an extractive agent comprising a mixture of a chlorinated aromatic compound and another compound selected from furandione derivatives and organic nitriles.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for separation of ethylbenzene from a mixture comprising C8 aromatics comprising:
distilling the mixture comprising C8 aromatics in the presence of an extractive agent;
wherein the extractive agent comprises a chlorinated aromatic compound and an organic compound selected from the group consisting of furandione derivatives and organic nitriles;
wherein the extractive agent comprises 5 to 20 percent by weight of the organic compound; and
wherein a weight ratio of the extractive agent to the mixture comprising C8 aromatics is in the range of 0.2:1 to 20:1.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1 wherein the organic compound is selected from the group consisting of phthalic anhydride, acetonitrile, benzonitrile, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2)

The process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the mixture comprising C8 aromatics comprises a xylene isomer selected from the group consisting of ortho-xylene, meta-xylene, para xylene, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2)

The process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the chlorinated aromatic compound comprises a chlorinated benzene selected from the group consisting of dichlorobenzene, trichlorobenzene, tetrachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene and benzene hexachloride.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The process according to claim 4 wherein the trichlorobenzene is selected from the group consisting of 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene and 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2)

The process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the weight ratio of the extractive agent to the mixture comprising C8 aromatics is in the range of 0.5:1 to 12:1.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1 wherein distilling the mixture comprising C8 aromatics is carried out in the presence of water or steam.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The process according to claim 7 wherein distilling the mixture comprising C8 aromatics is carried out in the presence of 0.01 to 10 parts by weight of water or steam per 100 parts by weight of the extractive agent.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The process according to claim 7 wherein distilling the mixture comprising C8 aromatics is carried out in the presence of 0.5 to 10 parts by weight of water or steam per 100 parts by weight of extractive agent.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1, 2)

The process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the extractive agent is recovered and recycled.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1, 2)

The process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the extractive agent comprises from 5 to 10 percent by weight of the organic compound.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1, 2)

The process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the weight ratio of the extractive agent to the mixture comprising C8 aromatics is in the range of 1:1 to 10:1.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1 wherein the extractive agent comprises from 5 to 15 percent by weight of the organic compound.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1 wherein a weight ratio of the extractive agent to the mixture comprising C8 aromatics is in the range of 5:1 to 10:1.