Patent ID: 8334415
Filing Date: 2012-12-18
Classification: B01D,C07C

Abstract:
1. A process for reducing the formation of heavy byproducts during recovery of dichlorohydrin(s) from a reactive mixture including dichlorohydrin(s) comprising: (a) providing a mixture comprising (1) dichlorohydrin(s); (2) one or more reactive components comprising (a′) one or more ester(s) of chlorohydrin(s) and/or multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon compound(s), and/or (b′) one or more monochlorohydrin(s) and/or multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon compound(s) in the presence of one or more ester(s) of chlorohydrin(s), ester(s) of multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon compound(s), catalyst(s), and/or ester(s) of catalyst(s); and (3) optionally, one or more substances comprising water, chlorinating agent(s), catalyst(s), ester(s) of catalyst(s), and/or heavy byproducts; wherein the catalyst(s) and/or ester(s) of catalyst(s) is selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, an anhydride; an acid chloride; an ester; a lactone; a lactam; an amide; a metal organic compound, a metal salt, a compound convertible to a carboxylic acid under the reaction conditions of the process, and a combination thereof; (b) distilling the mixture provided in step (a) in a liquid-vapor contacting device having at least 3 theoretical stages to separate at least one distillate comprising dichlorohydrin(s) from the mixture provided in step (a); wherein the temperature in the bottom of the liquid-vapor contacting device is not greater than 150° C.; (c) maintaining the pressure at the highest theoretical stage in the liquid-vapor contacting device such that the pressure is not greater than 5 kPa; (d) maintaining the average pressure drop per theoretical equilibrium stage in the liquid-vapor contacting device such that the average pressure drop is not greater than 0.7 kPa, or such that the total pressure drop in the liquid-vapor contacting device is not greater than 5 kPa; and (e) maintaining the concentration of dichlorohydrins, in the bottom of the liquid-vapor contacting device, to at least 5 weight percent; wherein the formation of heavy (low volatility) byproducts during recovery of dichlorohydrin(s) from the mixture is reduced.