Integrated process for preparing acrolein and 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde

US8877981B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Evonik Industries AG · DE

Inventors

• Pablo Zacchi · Bad Mergentheim, DE
• Caspar-Heinrich Finkeldei · Alzenau, DE
• Martin Koerfer · Alzenau, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 26, 2013
• Grant date: Nov 4, 2014
• Expiry date: Jun 26, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/10
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process to produce 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde is provided. The process comprises: A) oxidizing a mixture of propylene and inert diluent gases with air over a heterogeneous catalyst to obtain a gaseous oxidation reaction mixture comprising acrolein and by-products; B) quenching the gaseous oxidation reaction mixture to obtain a gas stream comprising acrolein and a quench liquid comprising residual acrolein and the by-products; C) stripping the acrolein from the by-products of the quench liquid and returning the stripped acrolein to the quench; D) absorbing a first portion of the gas stream comprising acrolein from the quench B) in water to obtain an aqueous acrolein solution and an uncondensable gaseous stream comprising inert gases; D1) recycling at least a portion of the uncondensable gaseous stream to the oxidation A) to supply the inert diluent gases; E) distilling the acrolein from the aqueous acrolein solution to obtain an acrolein-free aqueous bottom product; E1) condensing the distilled acrolein; F) reacting the distilled acrolein E1) and the gas stream comprising acrolein B) with methyl mercaptan in a mixture comprising at least one of 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde…