Process for the production of dichlorohydrin

In a continuous process for the production of dichlorohydrin an improvement for reducing the level of chloroaliphatic alkanes and chloroaliphatic ethers impurities in the dichlorohydrin product the improvement comprising in sequence:

• (a) reacting allyl chloride, water and chlorine in a reaction zone to form an aqueous mixture of dichlorohydrin, together with minor amounts of chloroaliphatic ethers impurities;
• (b) contacting in an extraction zone said reaction zone effluent with less than about 8% by volume of a water-immiscible solvent for said impurities having a greater solvency for said impurities than for dichlorohydrin and an atmospheric boiling point from about 40.degree. to about 105.degree. C., to obtain as extract an impurity-enriched solvent, and an aqueous phase containing a major amount of the dichlorohydrin;
• (c) separating said extract from said aqueous phase;
• (d) contacting in a water wash zone said separated extract from step (c) with water to obtain a water wash stream containing a major portion of dichlorohydrin present in the feed to step (d), and a washed extract stream containing less dichlorohydrin than said feed to step (d);
• (e) recycling said water wash stream to at least one of step (a) and step (b);
• (f) passing said washed extract stream from step (d) as feed to a distillation zone, and fractionating said feed by fractional distillation to obtain an overhead stream containing impurities boiling at a temperature lower than the boiling temperature of said solvent, a residual fraction containing impurities boiling at a temperature higher than the boiling temperature of said solvent, and an intermediate steam comprising regenerated solvent containing fewer impurities than said feed;
• and
• (g) recycling said regenerated solvent to the extraction zone of step (b).