Process for the epoxidation of propene

US10125108B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• EVONIK DEGUSSA GMBH · DE
• THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS AG · DE

Inventors

• Robert Jahn · Saginaw, US
• Wolfgang Wöll · Maintal, DE
• Bernd Jaeger · Emmelshausen, DE
• Matthias Pascaly · Hachenburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 19, 2016
• Grant date: Nov 13, 2018
• Expiry date: Apr 19, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07D303/04
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

In a process for the epoxidation of propene, comprising the steps: reacting propene with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a titanium silicalite catalyst and a methanol solvent; separating non-reacted propene and propene oxide from the resulting reaction mixture to provide a solvent mixture comprising methanol and water in a combined amount of at least 90% by weight; and feeding this solvent mixture as a feed stream to a continuously operated methanol distillation column at a feed point in the middle section of said column to provide an overhead product comprising at least 90% by weight methanol and a bottoms product comprising at least 90% by weight water; the addition of a liquid defoamer, having a solubility in the feed stream of less than 10 mg/kg at 25° C. and a surface tension at the liquid air interface of less than 22 mN/m at 20° C., at or above the feed point in an amount exceeding the solubility of the liquid defoamer in the feed stream suppresses foam formation in the methanol distillation column.