Production of epoxy compounds from olefinic compounds
AssigneeThe Lummus Company
InventorGeorge J. Apanel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Olefin is reacted with alkyl hypochlorite and water to produce an effluent containing the chlorohydrin and alkanol. An organic solvent is employed to extract the alkanol and chlorohydrin from the aqueous effluent, followed by saponification with base to produce olefin oxide. Olefin oxide is separated from the saponification effluent, followed by separation of an organic phase of the organic solvent, and an aqueous phase, which contains the alkanol. The aqueous phase containing alkanol, is chlorinated to produce the alkyl hypochlorite, with the organic phase being recycled to the extraction. The process is preferably integrated with the electrolytic production of chlorine.
Claims25
In a process for producing an epoxy compound wherein a tertiary alkanol is chlorinated in the presence of an aqueous base to produce tertiary alkyl hypochlorite, the tertiary alkyl hypochlorite is contacted with an olefinically unsaturated compound and water to produce a reaction effluent containing water, tertiary alkanol and chlorohydrin, and the chlorohydrin is saponified with aqueous base to produce the corresponding epoxy compound, the improvement comprising:
- extracting organics from the chlorohydrin production with an organic extraction solvent, said organics including the chlorohydrin and tertiary alkanol;
- contacting organic extract containing chlorohydrin and tertiary alkanol, and an aqueous base to effect saponification of the chlorohydrin to the corresponding epoxy compound;
- recovering the epoxy compound produced in the saponification;
- separating from the saponification an organic solvent phase and an aqueous phase, said separation being effected with preferential extraction of the tertiary alkanol into the aqueous phase;
- recycling organic solvent to said extracting of organic;
- and passing aqueous phase containing tertiary alkanol to the chlorination.
In a process for producing an epoxy compound which is integrated with the electrolytic production of chlorine wherein a tertiary alkanol is contacted with chlorine and aqueous electrolyte from the electrolytic cell, containing sodium hydroxide and sodium chloride to produce tertiary alkyl hypochlorite and aqueous brine for ultimate recycle to the cell, tertiary alkyl hypochlorite is contacted with olefinically unsaturated compound and water to produce the corresponding chlorohydrin and tertiary alkanol, and chlorohydrin is contacted with aqueous electrolyte from the electrolytic cell containing sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide to produce the corresponding epoxy compound and aqueous brine for ultimate recycle to the cell, the improvement comprising:
- extracting organics from the chlorohydrin production with an organic extraction solvent to produce an organic extract containing chlorohydrin and tertiary alkanol;
- contacting organic extract with the aqueous electrolyte containing sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide to saponify chlorohydrin to the corresponding epoxy compound;
- recovering epoxy compound;
- separating from the saponification an organic solvent phase and an aqueous brine phase, said separating being effected with preferential extraction of the tertiary alkanol into the aqueous brine phase;
- recycling organic solvent to said extracting of organic;
- passing aqueous brine phase containing tertiary alkanol to said hypochlorite production.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.