Patent ID: 8889914

Claim:
A process for preparing isophorone, the process comprising: (i) reacting acetone via a catalysed aldol condensation in a reactor, thereby obtaining a reaction product, (ii) working-up the reaction product, thereby obtaining a stream of value, (iii) hydrolyzing the stream of value in a hydrolysis apparatus, (iv) separating the stream of value into an organic fraction and an aqueous fraction, (v) recovering isophorone from the organic fraction, (vi) distilling the aqueous fraction in a distillative workup apparatus comprising a top and a bottom, (vii) passing vapours from the top of the distillative workup apparatus onward into the hydrolysis apparatus, and (viii) subjecting water from the bottom of the distillative workup apparatus to a flash evaporation, thereby obtaining purified water which is recycled into the reactor for preparing isophorone.