Texaco Inc.

Huntsman Specialty Chemicals Corporation

Huntsman Ici Chemicals LLC

Peter Stephen Morford

Steven H Vanderpool

William K Culbreth, Iii

Timothy L Lambert

Oxygenate impurities are removed from an organic chemical feed or stream by treatment with an aqueous reducing agent and aqueous base, accompanied by separation. An aqueous solution of reducing agent and an aqueous solution of base are typically introduced sequentially into the organic chemical stream, where they may react with any oxygenate impurities present. The reaction products of the oxygenate impurities and aqueous reducing agent and aqueous base are water soluble, and are typically removed in sequential fashion via any suitable separation means. For example, oxygenate impurities such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, and methyl formate may be removed from a propylene stream by treating the stream sequentially with aqueous sodium bisulfite and aqueous sodium hydroxide, accompanied by separation of the oxygenate impurity reaction products in coalescers.

Method for removal of oxygenate impurities from organic chemical streams

An extractive distillation agent used for the distillation of propylene oxide contaminated with water, acetone, acetaldehyde and methanol and consisting essentially of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether is fed to an extractive distillation column within about 2 to about 15 stages from the top of the tower to obtain an overhead distillate fraction consisting of essentially anhydrous propylene oxide contaminated with reduced quantities of acetone, acetaldehyde and methanol, and a heavier bottoms distillation fraction containing substantially all of the ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, water and acetone and some of the methanol introduced into the distillation column.

Purification of propylene oxide using ethylene glycol monomethyl ether

Piperazine, in solution in methanol may be substantially selectively converted to N,N'-dimethyl piperazine when using a catalyst composed of titania to which from about 0.5 to about 7 wt. % of phosphorous has been thermally chemically bonded in the form of phosphate linkages.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Peter Stephen Morford