Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.

Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Incorporated

Shigeru Hirata

Shinji Ogawa

In a process for producing isopropyl alcohol by direct liquid phase hydration of propylene and water in the presence of a strong acid solid catalyst at a high temperature and a high pressure, the reaction is carried out at a temperature in a ranging between 100.degree. and 250.degree. C. and a pressure in a ranging between 60 and 200 atm in an excess of water. Then, a liquid phase of the reaction product is contacted with an extraction agent of a saturated hydrocarbon having 3 or 4 carbon atoms at a temperature in a ranging between the critical temperature of the extraction agent and the temperature higher than the critical temperature by 40.degree. C. under a pressure ranging between the critical pressure of the extraction agent and 200 atm at an S/F ratio ranging between 0.3 and 3 which is calculated from the equation of the amount of the extraction agent divided by the amount of the extract feed. Finally, after isopropyl alcohol is extracted from the liquid phase, it is separated from the resultant extract phase thus obtained. According to this process, the energy required for concentrating isopropyl alcohol is reduced, and also large-scale production facilities are not necessary.

Process for producing isopropyl alcohol

A process for producing isopropyl alcohol by hydrating directly propylene and water in the presence of a strong acid solid catalyst which includes feeding continuously propylene, water which is the same as or more than propylene in terms of mole, and a saturated hydrocarbon (propane, butane and the like) to a reactor in which the above solid catalyst is filled or suspended, and carrying out a hydration reaction in the conditions of 50.degree. to 200.degree. C. and 60 to 250 atm while maintaining the concentration of isopropyl alcohol contained in the reaction liquid at 6 to 30 weight %, and then drawing a vapor phase out of the reactor, liquefying a part of thereof by reducing the pressure or cooling to separate vapor components, and refining crude isopropyl alcohol contained in the liquid phase to obtain refined isopropyl alcohol.

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Yokohama, Japan

Shigeru Hirata