Patent ID: 6031065
Filing Date: 2000-02-29
Classification: C08G

Abstract:
A method of producing a polyester copolymer from terephthalic acid and a second dicarboxylic acid, the method comprising:esterifying a combination of, terephthalic acid, a diester, other than dimethyl terephthalate, of a second dicarboxylic acid, other than terephthalic acid, and ethylene glycol to produce an esterification reaction mixture that includes the alcohol byproduct of the diester of the second dicarboxylic acid;distilling the reaction mixture to remove at least a portion of the esterification byproducts from the reaction mixture in the form of a vapor stream of which the majority component is water vapor and which includes the alcohol byproduct of the non-terephthalate diester in the vapor state; anddisposing of the vapor stream by combusting at least a portion of the vapor stream under conditions sufficient to decompose at least a portion of the alcohol byproduct present in the overhead vapor stream.