Process and system for production of polypropiolactone

A system for converting ethylene oxide to polypropiolactone (PPL), comprising:

• an ethylene oxide source;
• a carbon monoxide source;
• a carbonylation catalyst source;
• a carbonylation solvent source;
• a polymerization catalyst source;
• a first reaction zone configured to receive ethylene oxide from the ethylene oxide source, carbon monoxide from the carbon monoxide source, carbonylation catalyst from the carbonylation catalyst source, and carbonylation solvent from the carbonylation solvent source, and to output a beta propiolactone (BPL) product stream from contacting the ethylene oxide and the carbon monoxide with the carbonylation catalyst in the presence of the carbonylation solvent in the first reaction zone, wherein the BPL product stream comprises carbonylation solvent and BPL;
• a solvent removal unit configured to remove at least a portion of the carbonylation solvent from the BPL product stream;
• and
• a second reaction zone configured to receive the BPL product stream from the solvent removal unit, and polymerization catalyst from the polymerization catalyst source, and to output a PPL product stream from contacting the BPL product stream with the polymerization catalyst in the second reaction zone, wherein the PPL product stream comprises PPL, wherein the polymerization catalyst is comprised of recycled polymerization catalyst.