Separation of 1,4-butanediol from hydrogenation mixtures

US5342488A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Hans-Juergen Gosch · Bad Dürkheim, DE
• Harald Rust · Bochum, DE
• Rolf Fischer · Heidelberg, DE
• Claus Hechler · Mannheim, DE
• Rolf Pinkos · Bad Dürkheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 17, 1993
• Grant date: Aug 30, 1994
• Expiry date: Feb 17, 2013

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S203/20
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for the separation of 1,4-butanediol from mixtures obtained by the catalytic hydrogenation of maleates, fumarates, and/or succinates, which also contain tetrahydrofuran, water, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alcohols, succinic diesters, hydroxybutyrates, alkylhydroxyalkyl succinates, gamma-butyrolactone and butyrates, in addition to 1,4-butanediol, comprising the following steps: PA0 a) separating, in a first column having an actual number of plates of from 20 to 70 and operated at a top pressure of from 50 to 1100 mbar and preferably from 50 to 500 mbar and a top temperature of from 40.degree. to 120.degree. C., alcohol, water and tetrahydrofuran, as overhead product, PA0 b) feeding the bottom product of the first column into a second column having an actual number of plates of from 30 to 90 and withdrawing the overhead product consisting of alcohol and butyrate and obtained at a top pressure of from 45 to 250 mbar and a top temperature of from 45.degree. to 120.degree. C., and withdrawing gamma-butyrolactone and butyrates through a side outlet, and feeding the bottom product to a phase separator, PA0 c) feeding the 1,4-butanediol-enriched bottom phase of the liquid two-phase mixture …