Anhydrous separation of volatile aluminum chloride complex from an ethylbenzene production stream by distillation
AssigneeThe Dow Chemical Company
InventorFred A. Sherrod
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Process for changing the volatile aluminum chloride complex contained in an ethylbenzene production stream into a non-volatile, aluminum chloride product of a nature such that the ethylbenzene in the stream can be separated from the aluminum chloride catalyst by flash distillation. Conversion of the volatile aluminum chloride complex to a non-volatile aluminum chloride product is accomplished by adding selected alcohols, aldehydes, or ketones to the ethylbenzene stream.
Claims26
A process for the anhydrous separation of the volatile, organic aluminum chloride complex from ethylbenzene both of which are contained in an ethylbenzene production stream, said process comprising:
- a. adding to the production stream a compound capable of transforming the volatile aluminum chloride complex into an aluminum chloride product which is essentially non-volatile at the temperature and pressure at which the ethylbenzene will distill;
- and
- b. distilling the production stream at a temperature sufficient to cause the volatilization of the ethylbenzene.
A process for the anhydrous separation of voaltile iron chloride contained in an ethylbenzene production stream, which process comprises:
- a. adding to the production stream a secondary alcohol, a tertiary alcohol, a ketone, an aldehyde, or mixtures thereof to substantially reduce the volatility of the iron chloride at the temperature required to distill substantially all of the ethylbenzene;
- and
- b. distilling the reaction mixture at a temperature sufficient to cause the volatilization of substantially all of the ethylbenzene.
A process for the anhydrous separation of both the volatile aluminum chloride complex and volatile iron chloride from the ethylbenzene contained in an ethylbenzene production stream, said process comprising:
- a. adding to the production stream a compound selected from the group consisting of secondary alcohols, tertiary alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, and mixtures thereof to transform both the volatile aluminum chloride complex and the volatile iron chloride, respectively, into an essentially non-volatile aluminum chloride product and into an essentially non-volatile iron chloride product at the temperature and pressure at which the ethylbenzene will distill;
- and
- b. distilling the production stream at a temperature sufficient to cause the substantial volatilization of the ethylbenzene.
A process for the anhydrous separation of ethylbenzene from the aluminum chloride contained in an ethylbenzene production stream, which process comprises:
- (a) adding to the production stream a compound selected from the group consisting of acetone, cyclohexanol, and mixtures thereof in order to transform the volatile aluminum complex to an aluminum chloride product which is both essentially non-volatile and substantially soluble at the temperature required to distill substantially all of the ethylbenzene;
- and
- (b) distillating the reaction mixture at a temperature sufficient to cause the volatilizing of substantially all of the ethylbenzene.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.