Process for preparing ethyleneamine compounds

Abstract

An integrated process for manufacturing polyethyleneamine compounds selected from the group of polyethyleneamines and hydroxyethylethyleneamines is provided. The process includes in an adduction step, providing a COadduct of a starting compound comprising a —NH—CH—CH—NH— moiety or a —NH—CH—CH—OH moiety, or HO—CH—CH—OH, in a reaction step reacting a hydroxy-functional compound selected from the group of ethanolamines and dihydroxyethane with an amine-functional compound, wherein at least part of the total of hydroxy-functional compounds and amine-functional compounds is provided in the form of a COadduct, to form COadduct of a product polyethyleneamine compound, in an elimination step converting COadduct of product polyethyleneamine compound to the corresponding product polyethylene amine compound, wherein a fraction comprising a recycle compound comprising a —NH—CH—CH—NH— moiety or a —NH—CH—CH—OH moiety, or HO—CH—CH—OH, or COadducts thereof, is provided from the end of the reaction step or the elimination step to the adduction step or to the reaction step, wherein the recycle compound has per molecule on average fewer of the total of —NH—CH—CH—NH— moieties and —NH—CH—CH—OH moieties than the product polyethyleneamine compound.