Eastman Chemical Company

David Martin Hitch

John Robert Monnier

Brian D Roberts

Jerry Lynn Miller

Timothy Richard Nolen

Stephen Neal Falling

Jerome L Stavinoha

George L Oltean

George Chester Zima

Daniel Latham Terrill

Thomas Hugh Williams

According to the invention, waste materials containing amido-carboxylic acid esters, which are generated during the preparation of phenyl ester salts, can be converted into amido-carboxylic acids. The recovered amido-carboxylic acid is then useful in the preparation of additional phenyl ester salt by the original preparation process or other processes known in the art. The process of the invention combines a waste material containing amido-carboxylic acid esters with an aqueous solution of a strong acid having a pH less than about 1 to form a mixture. The process heats the mixture to a temperature of at least 90&deg; C. and maintains the mixture at that temperature for a time sufficient to hydrolyze the amido-carboxylic acid esters to amido-carboxylic acids. Sufficient base is the added to adjust the pH of the mixture to greater than about 2. The mixture is then maintained at a temperature of at least 80&deg; C. for a time sufficient to allow phase separation of the aqueous and organic phases within the mixture. The organic phase and the aqueous phase are then separated and the amido-carboxylic acids recovered from the organic phase.

Process for recycling amido-carboxylic acid esters into amino-carboxylic acids

Processes for the selective preparation of 3,4-epoxy-1-butene (EpB) to 1,2-epoxy-butane (butylene oxide-BO) in the presence of the supported catalysts, comprising one or more Group VIII metals deposited on the support materials which have micropores filled with one or more inorganic oxides.

Process for the manufacture of 1,2-epoxybutane

Disclosed are certain catalysts and catalyst support materials and processes for the preparation of the catalyst support materials and for the selective hydrogenation of 3,4-epoxy-1-butene (EpB) to 1,2-epoxy-butane (butylene oxide&mdash;BO). The catalyst support materials have micropores filled with one or more inorganic oxides and the supported catalysts comprise one or more Group VIII metals deposited on the support materials. The rhodium-containing supported catalysts are especially useful for the selective hydrogenation of EpB to BO.

Supported catalysts and catalyst support materials and process for the manufacture of 1,2-epoxybutane

Disclosed is a process for the continuous production and recovery of 2,3-dihydrofuran (2,3-DHF) by the isomerization of 2,5-dihydrofuran (2,5-DHF) which contains certain impurities to 2,3-dihydrofuran in yields exceeding 95%. The process utilizes, in order, an isomerization zone containing one or more beds of a supported, palladium or platinum catalyst, a product recovery zone comprising a distillation column, a high boiler removal zone and means for feeding the 2,5-DHF component of the bottoms stream from the product recovery zone to the isomerization zone.

Continuous process for the conversion of 2,5-dihydrofuran to

Disclosed herein is an improved gas phase process for the selective epoxidation of non-allylic olefins wherein the epoxidation is carried out in the presence of certain inert, paraffin hydrocarbons. Such hydrocarbons possess higher heat capacities as compared to other materials, e.g., nitrogen, argon, methane and helium, typically used as inert diluents in olefin epoxidations. The disclosed process is particularly useful for the continuous manufacture of 3,4-epoxy-1-butene from 1,3-butadiene.

Growing community of inventors

Kingsport, TN, United States of America

David Martin Hitch