Preparation of ethylene glycol
AssigneeHalcon International, Inc.
InventorsOlav T. Onsager, Peter L. Szecsi
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Abstract
Ethylene glycol is prepared in an oxidation zone by the reaction of ethylene, molecular oxygen, and water in the presence of an iodine source to produce a liquid reaction product which is separated into a lower-boiling portion, a glycol fraction and a higher-boiling portion and the higher-boiling portion is recycled to the oxidation zone together with part of the lower-boiling portion.
Claims4
A process for preparing ethylene glycol, which comprises reacting ethylene, molecular oxygen and water in the presence of an iodine source in an oxidation zone at a temperature of 50.degree. - 250.degree. C. and under a pressure sufficient to maintain the liquid phase to produce a liquid reaction product, separating said product into a plurality of portions, including a higher-boiling portion and a product ethylene glycol portion, and recycling said higher-boiling portion to said oxidation zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.