Patent SG-11201811020X-A (SG)
Title: A process for purifying propylene oxide
Inventor: TELES JOAQUIM H
IPC: C07D303/02
Filed: 2017-07-19
Abstract: OO C (12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (43) International Publication Date 25 January 2018 (25.01.2018) W I PO I PCT 0111111010 0111 °nolo III m OH loom!! om liflom oimIE (10) International Publication Number WO 2018/015435 Al (51) International Patent Classification: C07D 301/32 (2006.01) C07D 303/02 (2006.01) (21) International Application Number: PCT/EP2017/068228 (22) International Filing Date: 19 July 2017 (19.07.2017) (25) Filing Language: English (26) Publication Language: English (30) Priority Data: 16180317.6 20 July 2016 (20.07.2016) EP (71) Applicant: BASF SE [DE/DE]; Carl-Bosch-Str. 38, 67056 Ludwigshafen am Rhein (DE). (72) Inventors: TELES, Joaquim H.; Philipp-Hirsch-Str. 4, 67165 Waldsee (DE). KRAMP, Marvin; Lindenhof- str. 104, 68163 Mannheim (DE). MUELLER, Christ- ian; Neckarpromenade 25/188, 68167 Mannheim (DE). WOERZ, Nicolai Tonio; Viktoriaplatz 1, 64293 Darm- stadt (DE). METZEN, Bernd; Greener Ring 6, 67593 Westhofen (DE). KELLER, Tobias; Pfaffenbergstrasse 3, 67663 Kaiserslautern (DE). RIEDEL, Dominic; Richard- Weber-StraBe 20, 68623 Lampertheim (DE). WEBER, Markus; Ruppertsberger Str. 7, 67117 Limburgerhof (DE). URBANCZYK, Daniel; Darmstaedter Str. 86, 64347 Griesheim (DE). PARVULESCU, Andrei-Nicolae; Hauptstrasse 74, 67152 Ruppertsberg (DE). WEGERLE, Ulrike; St.-Bonifatius-Str. 11, 67550 Worms (DE). MUELLER, Ulrich; Am Stecken 14a, 67435 Neustadt (DE). (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DJ, DK, DM, DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, JO, JP, KE, KG, KH, KN, KP, KR, KW, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SA, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). Published: — with international search report (Art. 21(3)) (54) Title: A PROCESS FOR PURIFYING PROPYLENE OXIDE (57) : The present invention is related to a process for purifying propylene oxide, comprising (i) providing a stream SO com- prising propylene oxide, acetonitrile, water, and an organic compound comprising a carbonyl group -C(=0)-, wherein said organic compound comprising a carbonyl group -C(=0)- comprises one or more of acetone and propionaldehyde; (ii) separating propylene oxide from the stream SO by distillation, comprising subjecting the stream SO to distillation conditions in a distillation column, obtain- ing a gaseous top stream Slc which is enriched in propylene oxide compared to the stream SO, a liquid bottoms stream S1 a which is enriched in acetonitrile and water compared to the stream SO, and a side stream S lb comprising propylene oxide which is enriched in the carbonyl compound compared to the stream SO; wherein the distillation column is operated at an absolute pressure at the top of the distillation column in the range of from 0.1 to 2.0 bar and an internal reflux ratio in the range of from 2.0 to 6.0; wherein the distillation column exhibits at least 100 theoretical trays, the rectifying section of the distillation column consists of from 30 to 70 % of the theoretical trays and the stripping section of the distillation column consists of from 70 to 30 % of the theoretical trays.