Patent ID: 8383861

Claim:
A process for the manufacture of one or more ethanolamines and one or more ethyleneamines comprising the steps of: a) combining ethylene oxide with ammonia; b) a first reacting step comprising reacting ethylene oxide with ammonia in a manner to produce one or more ethanolamines, wherein said first reacting step forms a first effluent comprising: i) unreacted ammonia; and ii) the one or more ethanolamines; c) a second reacting step comprising reacting at least a portion of the first effluent in the presence of a reductive amination catalyst to produce one or more ethyleneamines, wherein said second reacting step forms a second effluent comprising: i) unreacted ammonia; ii) one or more alkylamines, wherein the one or more alkylamines are chosen from methylamine, ethylamine, and combinations thereof; iii) one or more unreacted ethanolamines; and iv) the one or more ethyleneamines; d) separating the unreacted ammonia and one or more alkylamines from the second effluent; e) separating the unreacted ammonia from the one or more alkylamines; and f) after separating the unreacted ammonia from the one or more alkylamines, recycling the unreacted ammonia so as to be combined with the ethylene oxide in the step of combining ethylene oxide with ammonia.