Patent ID: 7812192
Filing Date: 2010-10-12
Classification: C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method of integrating a process for the production of poly vinyl alcohol, ethylene vinyl alcohol based, or vinyl acetate based polymers or copolymers with a carbonylation process for the coproduction of acetic acid and acetic anhydride comprising the steps of: a) coproducing acetic acid and acetic anhydride; b) contacting one or both of the acetic acid and acetic anhydride with reactants under conditions sufficient to form vinyl acetate c) contacting the vinyl acetate with reactants under conditions sufficient to form poly vinyl acetate, ethylene vinyl acetate based polymer or copolymer, or vinyl acetate based polymer or copolymer; d) contacting the poly vinyl acetate, ethylene vinyl acetate based polymer or copolymer, or vinyl acetate based polymer or copolymer with a base and methanol under conditions sufficient to form poly vinyl alcohol, ethylene vinyl alcohol based polymer or copolymer, or vinyl acetate based polymer or copolymer and a methyl acetate byproduct stream; e) purifying the methyl acetate byproduct stream by a process consisting essentially of extractive distillation to form a methyl acetate stream, wherein the purifying step removes sufficient impurities from the resulting methyl acetate stream such that the methyl acetate stream is suitable to feed to a coproduction process for production of acetic acid and acetic anhydride; and f) directing the methyl acetate stream to a carbonylation coproduction process for production of acetic acid and acetic anhydride.