Patent ID: 9505695
Filing Date: 2016-11-29
CPC Classification: B01D,C07C,Y02P

Claim Text:
1. A process comprising: i. providing a feed stream comprising methyl iodide, water, acetic acid, methyl acetate, and at least one PRC to a second distillation column comprising a distillation zone and a bottom sump zone; and ii. distilling the feed stream at a pressure and a temperature sufficient to produce a second column overhead stream comprising methyl iodide and at least one PRC, and a second column residuum stream flowing from the bottom sump zone comprising water and greater than or equal to about 0.11 weight percent HI; wherein the feed stream is derived from an overhead of a first distillation column in which a reaction product is distilled to produce acetic acid as a sidestream, and wherein a total amount of HI exiting the second distillation column in the second column overhead stream and the second column residuum stream is greater than an amount of HI entering the second distillation column in the feed stream.