Patent ID: 8178734
Filing Date: 2012-05-15
Classification: B01J,C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A process for producing ethylene glycol from oxalate(s), comprising: a) feeding hydrogen and a first oxalate stream to a first reaction zone to contact them with a first copper-containing catalyst under hydrogenation conditions, to form a first reaction effluent containing ethylene glycol; b) feeding the first reaction effluent and a second oxalate stream to a second reaction zone to contact them with a second copper-containing catalyst under hydrogenation conditions, to form a second reaction effluent containing ethylene glycol; and c) isolating ethylene glycol from the second reaction effluent; wherein the molar ratio of the oxalate(s) in the first oxalate stream to the oxalate in the second oxalate stream ranges from 0.1:1 to 10:1, and wherein the molar ratio of the hydrogen to the total oxalate(s) in the first and the second oxalate streams ranges from 20:1 to 300:1.