Patent ID: 6683217
Filing Date: 2004-01-27
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A continuous process for the manufacture of triethanolamine (TEA) comprising, in succession:(i) a step of synthesizing the TEA by continuously bringing ammonia into contact with ethylene oxide, under conditions allowing the formation of a reaction mixture comprising mono- di- and tri-ethanolamines, (ii) a step of continuously separating the ammonia that has not reacted from the reaction mixture; and (iii) a step of continuously separating the TEA from the mixture resulting from step (ii), wherein step (iii) comprises separating the monoethanolamine and some of the diethanolamine from the mixture resulting from step (ii), preparing or isolating a specific mixture of alkanolamines comprising TEA and from 0.5 to 50% by weight of at least one secondary dialkanolamine, and separating and isolating the TEA with a degree of purity equal to or greater than 99.2% by weight by continuous distillation of the specific mixture of alkanolamines.