Henkel Corporation

Cognis Corporation

A Fred Elsasser

C William Blewett

Charles M White

Laura A McCargar

Methods of recovering free fatty acids having a low ester content from alkanol-containing solutions and oil mixtures containing tocopherols are disclosed which involve atmospheric or vacuum stripping at low temperatures. The recovered fatty acids have a high acid value, and have high commercial value in the production of high quality (high acid value) products, e.g., dimerized fatty acids, useful in polyamide resins.

Method of recovering free fatty acids having low ester content and high acid value

Sulfur and soap contaminants are removed from carboxylic acid esters by a process comprising the steps of: (1) contacting a carboxylic acid ester with an aqueous base at a temperature of from about 225&deg; F. to about 280&deg; F. while removing water to form a dry, crude ester; (2) contacting the dry, crude ester with an absorbent selected from the group consisting of silica gel, hydro-silica gel and mixtures thereof; (3) separating the absorbent from the ester.

Process for making carboxylic acid esters

A dimeric fatty acid and/or dimeric fatty ester product having a low residual content of interesters is obtained by hydrolyzing the interesters to provide monomeric unsaturated fatty acids and alcohols as the hydrolysates and thereafter removing the hydrolysates from the dimeric fatty acid and/or dimeric fatty ester product.

Method of preparing dimeric fatty acids and/or esters thereof containing low residual interesters and the resulting dimeric fatty acids and/or dimeric fatty esters

An improved, optimized industrial process has been found for the hydrogenation of organic nitrites into primary amines, which essentially consists of contacting a dried charge of at least one organic nitrile, aqueous alkali metal hydroxide, at least one Raney slurry hydrogenation catalyst, water and hydrogen for an effective time and at an effective temperature and pressure, wherein the improvements comprise eliminating the steps of drying the charge and adding water and reducing the required water to about 0.2%. Secondary and tertiary amine formation is low, as is moisture content and neither precious metals such as rhodium, nor strategic metals, such as cobalt nor ammonia gas nor solvents are required. Surprisingly, it has been found that water levels less than that taught in the prior art are effective at suppressing secondary and tertiary amine production, while still producing repeatable product on an industrial scale and with reduced cycle time, energy and catalyst charge.

Process to hydrogenate organic nitriles to primary amines

A process for purifying crude ester containing residual metallic catalyst is described. The process comprises (a) adding to a crude ester product an amorphous silicon dioxide adsorbent capable of adsorbing dissolved metallic catalyst; (b) heating the combination at a temperature of between about 80.degree. C. and about 130.degree. C.; and (c) separating the ester from the adsorbent by filtration, such that residual metallic catalyst is retained on the adsorbent.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

A Fred Elsasser