Patent ID: 9061976
Filing Date: 2015-06-23
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
1. A cyclic process for the production of taurine from ethylene oxide in high yield, comprising, (a) Reacting ethylene oxide with sodium bisulfite in the presence of taurine, sodium ditaurinate, and sodium tritaurinate, to yield a mixture of sodium isethionate and sodium taurinates; (b) Adding sodium hydroxide to (a) to convert excess sodium bisulfite to sodium sulfite, taurines to sodium taurinates; (c) Adding ammonia to (b) and subjecting the solution to the ammonolysis reaction to yield a mixture of sodium taurinates in the presence of catalysts; (d) Removing excess ammonia from (c) and neutralizing sodium taurinates with sulfur dioxide or sulfurous acid to form a crystalline suspension of taurine in a solution of sodium ditaurinate, sodium tritaurinate, and sodium bisulfite; (e) Recovering taurine from (d), and returning most of the mother liquor to (a) to react with ethylene oxide.