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US 2012/0059174 A1Published application
Process for preparing epsilon-caprolactone and 1,6-hexanediol
AssigneeBASF SE
InventorsOlivier ABILLARD, Daniel BREUNINGER, Eva KRETZSCHMAR, Rolf PINKOS
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Abstract
The invention relates to processes for preparing 1,6-hexanediol and very pure ε-caprolactone from a dicarboxylic acid solution (DCS), comprising the steps of (a) esterification of the DCS with alcohols, (b) partial catalytic hydrogenation of the esters, (c) distillative removal of 1,6-hexanediol and low boilers as the top product, and (d) cyclization of the 6-hydroxycaproic ester present in the bottoms fraction in the presence of a higher-boiling alcohol than caprolactone.
Claims17
A process for preparing 1,6-hexanediol and ε-caprolactone, comprising the following steps:
- a) esterification of DCS with an alcohol,
- b) partial catalytic hydrogenation of the ester mixture obtained from step (a),
- c) distillation of the hydrogenation output obtained from step (b) to remove the 1,6-hexanediol-comprising top product, and
- d) cyclization of the 6-hydroxycaproic ester from the bottoms fraction from step (c) in the presence of at least one alcohol having a boiling point greater than that of ε-caprolactone within the pressure range used, a mixture of such alcohols or a composition which comprises such alcohols, said alcohol being in free or else bound form as a constituent of the esters of the bottoms fraction.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.