Chemische Werke Huls Aktiengesellschaft

Werner Neumann

Manfred Zur Hausen

Rudolph Nehring

The oxo process wherein propene is hydroformylated and then distilled to separate n-butyraldehyde, iso-butyraldehyde, n-butanol, iso-butanol, n-butyl formate, iso-butyl formate and distillation residues having an acid number of about 80 to 130 is improved by adding to the distillation residues molar to twice molar amounts, relative to the acid content, of n-butanol, isobutanol or mixtures thereof, carrying out an esterification in the presence of catalytically active amounts of sulphonic acids at temperatures from about 50.degree. to 200.degree. C., separating off the water of reaction, distilling the esterification reaction product and hydrogenating the distillate thereof.

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Marl, Germany

Werner Neumann