Process for the epoxidation of olefins

Process for the catalytic epoxidation of propene, comprising

• a) in a reaction step reacting propene with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a titanium silicalite catalyst and a solvent comprising methanol to obtain a product stream,
• b) optionally passing the product stream from the reaction step to a pressure release step,
• c) separating the product stream in a pre-evaporator having less than 20 theoretical separation stages into an overhead product containing propene, propene oxide and methanol, and into a bottom product containing methanol and water, removing 20 to 60% of the total amount of methanol introduced with the product stream with the overhead product and the rest remaining in the bottom product,
• d) treating all or a part of the bottom product from step c) to contain less than 50 wppm nitrogen in the form of organic nitrogen compounds and, optionally after partially removing water,
• e) recycling all or a part of the treated product from step d) to the reaction step a).
• wherein one or more nitrogen containing compounds are introduced at some stage of the process

Process for the catalytic epoxidation of propene, wherein one or more nitrogen containing compounds are present or are introduced at some stage during the process, said process comprising:

• a) in a reaction step reacting propene with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a titanium silicalite catalyst and a solvent comprising methanol to obtain a product stream,
• b) optionally passing the product stream from the reaction step to a pressure release step,
• c) separating the product stream in a pre-evaporator having less than 20 theoretical separation stages into an overhead product containing propene, propene oxide and methanol, and into a bottom product containing methanol and water, wherein 20 to 60% of the total amount of methanol introduced with the product stream is being removed with the overhead product and the rest remaining in the bottom product,
• d) treating at least a part of the bottom product from step c) to obtain a product containing less than 50 wppm nitrogen in the form of organic nitrogen compounds and, optionally after partially removing water from said treated product.
• e) recycling at least a part of the treated product from step d) to the reaction step a).