National Distillers and Chemical Corporation

Julian Feldman

John M Hoyt

David W Smith

A C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkanol and its corresponding acetate or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.2 alkanol and its corresponding propionate are separated by extractive distillation utilizing an aromatic hydrocarbon as the extractive solvent. Transesterification of lower alkanols and lower alkyl acetates or propionates is effected by means of extractive distillation and the preparation of an intermediate ester of a higher boiling alcohol.

Extractive distillation of alcohol-ester mixtures

An oxygenated organic compound, such as ethanol, is recovered from a dilute aqueous stream thereof by contacting said stream with crosslinked polyvinylpyridine resin or nuclear substituted derivative thereof to effect selective sorption of the compound by said resin. The sorbed compound is thereafter removed from the resin by stripping with an inert gas such as carbon dioxide.

Process for recovering oxygenated organic compounds from dilute aqueous

A thermally efficient process for recovering an oxygenated organic material, such as ethanol, present in dilute aqueous solution is disclosed which comprises contacting said dilute aqueous solution with at least one inert extractant which is liquid at ambient temperature and pressure, said extractant being selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted and substituted cyclic secondary amines and unsubstituted and substituted aromatic cyclic amines having a distribution coefficient of at least about 0.70 or a separation factor of at least about 1.0. The invention further provides a process for obtaining substantially anhydrous oxygenated organic material from a dilute aqueous solution thereof in which the stream is subjected to liquid-liquid extraction to provide an oxygenated organic material poor raffinate phase and an oxygenated organic material rich extract phase, the oxygenated organic material present in said latter phase is concentrated in a rectifying column to provide an aqueous oxygenated organic material of high concentration and, if desired or necessary, the concentrated stream is azeotropically distilled in an anhydrous column operated under substantially superatmospheric pressure with thermal values recovered from said anhydrous column being used to satisfy part of all of the thermal operating requirements of the rectifying column.

Extractive distillation of alcohol-ester mixtures and transesterification

A thermally efficient process for recovering ethanol present in dilute aqueous solution is disclosed which comprises contacting said dilute aqueous ethanol solution with at least one inert extractant which is liquid at ambient temperature and pressure, said extractant being selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted and substituted cyclic secondary amines and unsubstituted and substituted aromatic cyclic amines having a distribution coefficient of at least about 0.70 or a separation factor of at least about 1.0. The invention further provides a process for obtaining substantially anhydrous ethanol from a dilute aqueous ethanol solution in which the ethanol stream is subjected to liquid-liquid extraction to provide an ethanol-poor raffinate phase and an ethanol-rich extract phase, the ethanol present in said latter phase is concentrated in a rectifing column to provide an aqueous ethanol of high proof and the concentrated ethanol is azeotropically distilled in an anhydrous column operated under substantially superatmospheric pressure with thermal values recovered from said anhydrous column being used to satisfy part of all of the thermal operating requirements of the rectifying column.

Process for recovering ethanol from dilute aqueous solutions employing

Ethanol is recovered from a dilute aqueous stream thereof by contacting said stream with crosslinked polyvinylpyridine resin or nuclear substituted derivative thereof to effect selective sorption of the ethanol by said resin. Sorbed ethanol is thereafter removed from the resin by stripping with an inert gas such as carbon dioxide.

A thermally efficient process for recovering ethanol present in dilute aqueous solution is disclosed which comprises contacting said dilute aqueous ethanol solution with at least one inert extractant which is liquid at ambient temperature and pressure, said extractant being selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted and substituted cyclic secondary amines and unsubstituted and substituted aromatic cyclic amines having a distribution coefficient of at least about 0.70 or a separation factor of at least about 1.0. The invention further provides a process for obtaining substantially anhydrous ethanol from a dilute aqueous ethanol solution in which the ethanol stream is subjected to liquid-liquid extraction to provide an ethanol-poor raffinate phase and an ethanol-rich extract phase, the ethanol present in said latter phase is concentrated in a rectifying column to provide an aqueous ethanol of high proof and the concentrated ethanol is azeotropically distilled in an anhydrous column operated under substantially superatmospheric pressure with thermal values recovered from said anhydrous column being used to satisfy part of all of the thermal operating requirements of the rectifying column.

Nitriles, such as acrylonitrile, are converted to the corresponding amides by a catalytic hydrolysis employing as the heterogeneous catalyst, the reaction product of a rhodium compound and a thiophosphite supported on a solid support.

Hydrolysis of nitriles

Nitriles, such as acrylonitrile, are converted to the corresponding amides by a catalytic liquid phase hydrolysis employing as the homogeneous catalyst, the reaction product of a rhodium compound and a thiophosphite.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Julian Feldman