Patent · US Expired

Plural stage purification of propylene oxide

US5262017A · kind A · utility

9Cited by
11References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 19, 1993
Grant dateNov 16, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 19, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC07D301/32
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Impure propylene oxide is purified by a distillation process wherein it is (a) extractively distilled in a first column using a C.sub.2 to C.sub.6 alkylene glycol extractive distillation agent to form a first overhead fraction comprising propylene oxide, C.sub.5 -C.sub.7 hydrocarbons methanol, water and oxygen-containing impurities, (b) wherein the first overhead fraction is separated in a second column into a second overhead fraction comprising most of the pentanes, pentenes and oxygen-containing impurities and a partially purified propylene oxide bottoms fraction comprising propylene oxide, hexenes, hexanes, and only residual quantities of pentenes and pentanes, (c) wherein the partially purified bottoms fraction is extracting distilled in a third column using a C.sub.7 -C.sub.10 alkane hydrocarbon extractive distillation agent to provide a further purified bottoms fraction containing substantially all of the propylene oxide, hexenes, hexanes charged to the third distillation column, and (d) the further purified bottoms fraction is extractively distilled in a fourth column using a C.sub.7 to C.sub.10 alkane hydrocarbon extractive distillation agent to provide a purified propylene…

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