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:
Dec. 17, 1996
Filed:
Jun. 05, 1995
Jean-Francedilla.ois Croizy, Farschviller, FR;
Marc Esch, Freyming-Merlebach, FR;
Elf Atochem S.A., Puteaux, FR;
Abstract
A process for producing methyl methacrylate comprises: (a) reacting acetone cyanohydrin with sulphuric acid or an oleum, in order to obtain methacrylamide; (b) reacting the methacrylamide thus obtained either directly, or after it has been isolated, with methanol in the presence of water; (c) separating the methyl methacrylate from the sulphuric acid, ammonium sulphate and water mixture by distillation; (d) removing the unreacted methanol by liquid-liquid extraction; (e) distilling the washed methyl methacrylate in two stages: (e1) firstly, in order to remove the remaining traces of water, of methanol and of low-boiling-point impurities; then (e2) in order to separate the pure methyl methacrylate from the high- boiling-point impurities. An improved purification step comprises conducting, step (e) in the presence of at least one non-aromatic 1,2-diamine which is capable of reacting, under acid catalysis, with the biacetyl present as impurity in the methyl methacrylate and of reducing the content thereof, the said non-aromatic 1,2-diamine being introduced at a point such that its contact time with the methyl methacrylate is sufficient for it to be able to react substantially with the biacetyl present.