Process for the improved manufacture of 2-ethylhexanol

US4138588A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Ruhrchemie Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Hans Tummes · Oberhausen, DE
• Heinz O. Noeske · Oberhausen, DE
• Boy Cornils · Dinslaken, DE
• Waldemar Kascha · Oberhausen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 20, 1978
• Grant date: Feb 6, 1979
• Expiry date: Mar 20, 1998

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C45/74
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

An improvement in a process for the manufacture of 2-ethylhexanol wherein n-butyraldehyde is subjected to aldol condensation, the resultant aldol condensation product is catalytically hydrogenated in a hydrogenation stage and the hydrogenation product is subjected to two separate multiple stage distillations to separate, in the first case the first runnings, a fraction containing the main amount of 2-ethylhexanol, and the residue. In the second case this residue is separated into a 2-ethylhexanol fraction and a distillation residue, the improvement residing in cracking the distillation residue by heating the same at 200 to 250.degree. C whereby to obtain cracked products comprising n-butanal, 2-ethylhexenal, 2-ethylhexanal, and/or 2-ethylhexanol together with non-cracked higher boiling substances. The cracked products are separated from the non-cracked products and the cracked products are recycled to the hydrogenation stage.