Patent ID: 7390918
Filing Date: 2008-06-24
Classification: C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
1. An integrated process for the production of an alkenyl carboxylate which process comprises the steps of: (a) contacting in an oxidation reaction zone a C (b) separating at least a portion of the product stream from step (a) into a fraction comprising the alkene and a fraction comprising the carboxylic acid and water; (c) contacting in a second reaction zone at least a portion of said alkene fraction produced in step (b), a carboxylic acid and a molecular oxygen-containing gas, in the presence of at least one catalyst active for the production of alkenyl carboxylate to produce a second product stream comprising alkenyl carboxylate, water and carboxylic acid; (d) feeding the carboxylic acid and water fraction produced in step (b) and the product stream comprising alkenyl carboxylate, water and carboxylic acid from step (c) to a single distillation means; (e) performing azeotropic distillation in said single distillation means to separate the product stream from step (c) and at least a portion of the carboxylic acid and water fraction produced in step (b) by azeotropic distillation in said single distillation means into an overhead fraction comprising alkenyl carboxylate and a base fraction comprising carboxylic acid; (f) recovering the alkenyl carboxylate from the overhead fraction separated in step (d).