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:
Jul. 31, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 02, 1998
Yung C. Hsu, Chesterfield, MO (US);
Thomas F. Blackburn, Chesterfield, MO (US);
Paul F. Pellegrin, St. Louis, MO (US);
Allen H. Kranz, St. Charles, MO (US);
James M. Willock, Ballwin, MO (US);
Novus International, Inc., St. Louis, MO (US);
Abstract
A continuous process for the preparation of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid or a salt thereof which includes introducing an aqueous mineral acid into a nitrile hydrolysis reactor including a continuous stirred tank reactor and introducing 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanenitrile into the nitrile hydrolysis reactor. 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanenitrile is continually hydrolyzed within the nitrile hydrolysis reactor to produce a nitrile hydrolysis reactor product stream containing 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanamide. The nitrile hydrolysis reactor product stream is continuously introduced into an amide hydrolysis flow reactor. 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanamide is continually hydrolyzed within the amide hydrolysis flow reactor to produce an aqueous hydrolyzate product containing 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid. 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid is recovered from the aqueous hydrolyzate product.