The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 04, 1992
Filed:
Jul. 25, 1991
Paul D Taylor, West Milford, NJ (US);
Michael Aversa, League City, TX (US);
Waldo De Thomas, Saylorsburg, PA (US);
Donald Buchanan, Wayne, NJ (US);
ISP Investments Inc., Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
This invention relates to a process for the recovery of purified gamma-butyrolactone (BLO) in high yield from its crude reactor effluent containing BLO, tetrahydrofuran (THF), water, the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis product of BLO which is 4-hydroxybutyric acid (4-HBA), light and heavy organic acids, and alcohols. The process is particularly characterized by flash vaporizing a THF-free mixture of BLO, 4-HBA, water, light acids such as butyric acid and propionic acid, and alcohols so that the 4-HBA component is recyclized to form additional BLO. Heavy acids such as succinic acid and maleic acid are removed from the bottom. The total amount of BLO in the vapor stream then is fed to a distillation column where it is condensed; the water, including the water of dehydration, and light acid and alcohol impurities in the distillation are separated overhead from the BLO and removed. This procedure prevents BLO from further acid hydrolysis while the water of dehydration from 4-HBA is recovered.