Separation of sulphonic acids from the medium in which they are prepared
AssigneeAto Chimie
InventorsRene Kern, Daniel Augustin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for the separation of sulphonated paraffins from their sulphonation medium, which comprises neutralization of the sulphuric acid present and separation into two phases, the lower phase containing the sulphate. The neutralization is carried out in such a way that only a part of the sulphuric acid is neutralized. A hydrocarbon is added, which dissolves the sulphonated and non-sulphonated paraffins and forms with water, an azeotropic mixture which is distilled in order to remove all or a part of the water present. The process allows the separation of sulphonates which are purer than in the past and which are poor in sulphates, while the sulphate layer contains only very little sulphonic acid.
Claims12
Process for the separation of sulfonated paraffins from the aqueous reaction mixture in which they are produced by sulfonation of paraffins, said reaction mixture containing sulfuric acid, unsulfonated paraffins and a hydrocarbon solvent for said sulfonated and unsulfonated paraffins which is capable of forming azeotropic mixture with water which comprises:
- partially neutralizing the sulfuric acid present in the reaction mixture to form bisulfate;
- subjecting the reacting mixture to a distillation to remove at least a substantial part of the water in the form of azeotropic mixture with the hydrocarbon;
- allowing the remaining material to separate into two layers, and separating the bottom layer, which contains bisulfate, from the upper sulfonic acid containing layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.