Patent ID: 8530702
Filing Date: 2013-09-10
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
1. A method for producing acetophenone comprising: treating one or more alkylbenzenes comprising s-butylbenzene to produce a feed comprising phenol and acetophenone; separating a crude phenol stream from the feed under crude phenol separation conditions effective to produce crude phenol heavies, the crude phenol separation conditions comprising a crude phenol operating pressure of from about 70 kPa to about 200 kPa; separating an acetophenone stream, comprising acetophenone, acetophenone-phenol azeotrope, and other impurities, directly from the crude phenol heavies under azeotropic distillation conditions, the azeotropic distillation conditions comprising an azeotropic distillation operating pressure of from about 1 to about 30 kPa; and separating a refined acetophenone stream from the acetophenone stream under azeotropic distillation conditions effective to leave acetophenone heavies, the azeotropic distillation conditions comprising an azeotropic distillation operating pressure of from about 1 to about 30 kPa.