Patent ID: 6043383
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: C07D

Abstract:
A process for producing 1,2-epoxy-5,9-cyclododecadiene, comprising epoxidizing 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene with hydrogen peroxide by using a continuous multi-stage oxidation apparatus wherein (1) in a first reactor of the oxidation apparatus, 1,5,9-cyclododecatrine, hydrogen peroxide and a catalyst are introduced thereinto, to epoxidize a portion of the introduced 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene into 1,2,-epoxy-5,9-cyclododecadiene, and the resultant reaction mixture comprising the thus-produced 1,2-epoxy-5,9-cyclododecatriene, hydrogen peroxide and the catalyst are delivered therefrom; (2) the reaction mixture delivered from the first reactor is passed through one or more reactors succeeding to the first reactor, to further epoxidize the non-reacted 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene and to increase the amount of 1,2-epoxy-5,9-cyclododecadiene; and (3) a final reaction mixture produced in a rear-end reactor and comprising the produced 1,2-epoxy-5,9-cyclododecadiene in an increased amount, the non-reacted 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene and hydrogen peroxide and the catalyst are delivered from the oxidation apparatus; subjecting the resultant reaction mixture delivered from the rear-end reactor to an isolation and refining procedure to collect 1,2-epoxy-5,9-cyclododecadiene, and to recover the non-reacted 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene; and recycling the recovered non-reacted 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene to the first reactor, to re-use it for the production of 1,2-epoxy-5,9-cyclododecadiene, the amount of the recovered non-reacted 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene recycled into the first reactor being controlled to 1 to 24 times the weight of the fresh 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene fed into the first reactor.