Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Technology Corporation

Jay Fingeret Miller

George Ernest Keller, Ii

David Robert Bryant

Kenneth L Hoy

Brian Michael Roesch

James Charles Hatfield

Nancy E Kinkade

Paul Frank Bryan

John Edward Davis

Lisa Evans Curry

Rachel Hilda Zanapalidou

Joan Ayer Rodberg

This invention relates to a process for the separation of a metal complex catalyst and any free ligand which may be present, from a homogeneous organic synthesis reaction mixture using sub-nanoporous, chemically stable membranes having discrete pores which allow organic products and by-products to pass through the membrane as permeate while retaining substantially all of the metal complex catalyst and free ligand, if any, as retentate.

Membrane separation process for metal complex catalysts

This invention relates to a process for separating epsilon caprolactam from a feed mixture comprising epsilon caprolactam and octahydrophenazine which process comprises contacting under adsorption conditions said mixture with an adsorbent, selectively adsorbing said epsilon caprolactam to substantial exclusion of said octahydrophenazine, removing the non-adsorbed portion of the feed mixture from contact with the adsorbent, and thereafter recovering high purity epsilon caprolactam by desorption under desorption conditions. The process can also be conducted in a batch or semi-batch manner or in a continuous manner using moving bed or simulated moving bed technologies.

Separation processes

This invention relates to a process for separating epsilon caprolactam from a feed mixture comprising epsilon caprolactam and one or more epsilon caprolactam isomers selected from the group consisting of 4-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinone, 5-methyl-2-piperdinone, 3-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinone and 3-methyl-2-piperdinone which process comprises contacting under adsorption conditions said mixture with an adsorbent, selectively adsorbing said epsilon caprolactam isomers to substantial exclusion of said epsilon caprolactam, removing the non-adsorbed portion of the feed mixture from contact with the adsorbent, and thereafter recovering high purity epsilon caprolactam. The epsilon caprolactam isomers can be recovered by desorption under desorption conditions. The process can be conducted in a batch or semi-batch manner or in a continuous manner using moving bed or simulated moving bed technologies.

This invention relates to membrane separation of organic solubilized rhodium-organophosphite complex catalyst and free organophosphite ligand from a homogeneous non-aqueous hydroformylation reaction mixture, said mixture also containing, in addition to said catalyst and free ligand, aldehyde product and an organic solvent.

Membrane separation process

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Charleston, WV, United States of America

Jay Fingeret Miller