Union Carbide Corporation

David P Higley

John W Crandall

Philip F Wolf

Gary L Culp

Scott M Farquhar

Cyclohexanol is first autoxidized to a peroxide intermediate and then contacted with selenium dioxide catalyst and a base to afford .epsilon.-caprolactone.

Conversion of cyclohexanol to .epsilon.-caprolactone

This invention is concerned with a continuous process for separating higher boiling, heat sensitive components from a liquid product stream. It involves a rapid evaporation of the desired product of the stream in an evaporator which minimizes residence time, such as a falling film evaporator, and feeding the vapors and the remainder of the stream to a separation column where the vaporized products rise in the column. Part of the vaporized products are removed after condensation and then recycled back to the column as a reflux. This reflux after contacting one or more trays is collected and recycled to the evaporator and mixed with the product feed being treated. The liquid remainder of the feed stream is collected at the bottom of the column. The bottom of the column can be kept at a temperature which minimizes any breakdown of the heat sensitive components present therein and, if desired, the bottoms in the column can be quickly withdrawn for treatment elsewhere or for recycling back to the process. A desirable embodiment is to recycle a portion of the residue at the bottom of the column back to the evaporator.

Continuous process for separating high boiling, heat sensitive materials

Cyclic ketones can be oxidized in high yields to the corresponding cyclic esters with hydrogen peroxide, selenium dioxide catalyst and a base. By-products are held to a minimum.

Growing community of inventors

Katonah, NY, United States of America

David P Higley