Patent · US Expired

Process for preparing ethylene glycol

US4400559A · kind A · utility

31Cited by
3References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 14, 1982
Grant dateAug 23, 1983
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 14, 2002

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P20/584
  • WIPO fieldOrganic fine chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Ethylene glycol is prepared by a process in which ethylene oxide is extracted from an aqueous solution with near-critical or super-critical carbon dioxide. Thereafter an ethylene oxide--carbon dioxide--water mixture is contacted with a catalyst to form ethylene carbonate, which is then hydrolyzed to ethylene glycol in the presence of the same catalyst. The ethylene glycol is separated as product and the carbon dioxide and the catalyst are recycled.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.