Process for completing the esterification of carboxylic acids with alcohols

US4314947A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Heinz Hohenschutz · Mannheim, DE
• Josef Gnad · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Guenter Dinkhauser · Schifferstadt, DE
• Eberhard Schaefer · Ludwigshafen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 21, 1978
• Grant date: Feb 9, 1982
• Expiry date: Dec 21, 1998

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S203/06
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for completing the esterification of aliphatic carboxylic acids of 1 to 8 carbon atoms with aliphatic or cycloaliphatic alcohols of 3 to 10 carbon atoms at the boiling point of the alcohol in a column operated with bottom heating, the lower space of the column being free from fitments, the middle space being provided with a packing and the upper space being provided with a packing or other fitments, in which process the water of esterification is driven off at the top of the column by azeotropic distillation, the starting mixture is fed into the side of the column from 5 to 10 m above the liquid level, the ester formed is taken off as liquid from the column bottom, and the column is operated with flooding such that the liquid level is from 6 to 10 m, with the liquid mixture filling the lower column space, which is free from fitments, and the lower part of the packed layer above the said space.