Method for producing polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers from methanol and formaldehyde

US7671240B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Eckhard Stroefer · Mannheim, DE
• Hans Hasse · Kaiserslautern, DE
• Sergej Blagov · Stuttgart, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 12, 2006
• Grant date: Mar 2, 2010
• Expiry date: Feb 14, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C08G2/08
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Processes for preparing tri- and tetraoxymethylene glycol dimethyl ether (POMDMEn=3,4) include feeding a reaction mixture of an aqueous formaldehyde solution and methanol into a reactive evaporator and separating into a first low boiler fraction and a first high boiler fraction, recycling the first high boiler fraction into the reactor, feeding the first low boiler fraction into a first distillation column and separating into a second low boiler fraction and a second high boiler fraction, recycling the second high boiler fraction into the reactive evaporator, feeding the second low boiler fraction into a second distillation column and separating into a third low boiler fraction and a third high boiler fraction, feeding the third high boiler fraction into a phase separation apparatus and separating into an aqueous phase and an organic phase, and feeding the organic phase into a third distillation column and separating into a low and high boiler fractions.