Patent ID: 6733637
Filing Date: 2004-05-11
Classification: C07C,Y10S

Abstract:
A process for producing high purity isopropyl alcohol comprising the steps of:(a) feeding a feed stream consisting essentially of at least 99.9 wt % isopropyl alcohol containing 200 to 500 ppm organic impurities and having a moisture content of 100 ppm or less into a separation column; (b) separating said feed stream into an overhead stream, containing increased concentrations of components having a boiling point less than isopropyl alcohol, taken overhead from said separation column and a bottoms stream, containing increased concentrations of components having a boiling point greater than isopropyl alcohol, taken as bottoms from said separation column, wherein any isopropyl alcohol in said overhead stream and said bottoms stream is not high purity isopropyl alcohol; and (c) removing said high purity isopropyl alcohol as a vapor sidestream at a point: (i) below where said feed stream enters said separation column but above said bottoms stream, or (ii) above where said feed stream enters said separation column but below said overhead stream, wherein said high purity isopropyl alcohol has a metals content of less than about 1 ppb and a water content of less than about 100 ppm.