Patent ID: 7772422
Filing Date: 2010-08-10
Classification: C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method of integrating a process for the production of polyvinyl alcohol with a carbonylation process for the production of acetic anhydride comprising the steps of: a) contacting vinyl acetate with reactants under conditions sufficient to form poly vinyl acetate; b) contacting the poly vinyl acetate with a base and methanol under conditions sufficient to form poly vinyl alcohol and a methyl acetate byproduct stream; c) purifying the methyl acetate byproduct stream by a purification process consisting essentially of extractive distillation to form a purified methyl acetate stream, wherein the purifying step removes sufficient impurities from the resulting methyl acetate stream such that the purified methyl acetate stream is suitable to feed to an acetic anhydride carbonylation production process; and d) directing the methyl acetate stream to an acetic anhydride carbonylation production process to produce acetic anhydride.