Process for separation of methanol and methyl (meth)acrylate
AssigneeEvonik Operations GmbH
InventorsMarcel Treskow, Jerald Andrew Jones, Marc Becker, Zoe Zegers, Kevin Lackey, Ghanem Sabeeh, Alexander May
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process can be used for producing a distillate product with a methanol concentration greater than the concentration of methanol in the minimum boiling azeotrope of methanol and methyl (meth)acrylate, from a mixture with a methanol concentration less than the concentration of methanol in the minimum boiling azeotrope of methanol and methyl (meth)acrylate, in a distillation column. A transesterification process for preparing C6- to C22-alkyl, aryl or alkenyl (meth)acrylates from methyl (meth)acrylate is also provided.
Claims20
A process for producing a distillate product with a methanol concentration greater than the concentration of methanol in a minimum boiling azeotrope of methanol and methyl (meth)acrylate, from a mixture of methanol and methyl (meth)acrylate with a methanol concentration less than or equal to the concentration of methanol in the minimum boiling azeotrope of methanol and methyl (meth)acrylate in a distillation column, the process comprising:
- contacting a mixture of methanol and methyl (meth)acrylate, with a methanol concentration less than or equal to the concentration of methanol in the minimum boiling azeotrope of methanol and methyl (meth)acrylate,
- with an alcohol of formula (I)
- HO—R1 (I),
- in which R1 is a linear or branched, acyclic or cyclic alkyl, aryl or alkenyl radical having 6 to 22 carbon atoms,
- wherein the alcohol of formula (I) is added via an alcohol feed located at the distillation column.
A process for preparing a (meth)acrylate of formula (II)
- CH2═C(R2)—CO—OR1 (II),
- in which
- R2 is hydrogen or methyl, and
- R1 is a linear or branched, acyclic or cyclic alkyl, aryl or alkenyl radical having 6 to 22 carbon atoms,
- the process comprising:
- reacting a methyl (meth)acrylate of forma (III)
- CH2═C(R2)—CO—OMe (III),
- in which R2 is defined as above,
- with an alcohol of formula (I)
- HO—R1 (I),
- in which R1 is defined as above;
- wherein the methanol produced by the transesterification reaction is separated with the methyl (meth)acrylate of formula (III) at a methanol concentration less than or equal to an azeotropic composition of methanol and methyl (meth)acrylate of formula (III) using a distillation column;
- and
- a thus-obtained mixture is enriched to a methanol concentration greater than the concentration of methanol in the azeotropic composition of methanol and methyl (meth)acrylate of formula (III), by adding further alcohol of formula (I) via an alcohol feed located at the distillation column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.