Patent ID: 7569721

Claim:
A process for conducting an equilibrium-limited reaction of at least one reactant to produce at least one product, comprising: a. reacting said at least one reactant in a first reaction zone maintained under reaction conditions, including temperature and pressure, sufficient to produce said at least one product and sufficient to maintain at least a portion of said at least one reactant and said at least one product in the liquid phase; b. withdrawing a liquid fraction containing said at least one reactant and said at least one product from said first reaction zone, and introducing at least a portion of said withdrawn liquid fraction into a second reaction zone maintained under reaction conditions, including temperature and pressure, sufficient to (i) produce said at least one product, (ii) crack heavies formed in or introduced into said second reaction zone and (iii) vaporize at least a portion of said at least one product upon production thereof, wherein less than about 1 weight percent water is present in the second reaction zone; c. withdrawing an overhead vapor fraction from said second reaction zone, said overhead vapor fraction comprising said at least one product, and introducing at least a portion of said withdrawn overhead vapor fraction into at least one condensation zone to produce said at least one product in the liquid phase; d. withdrawing a liquid fraction from said at least one condensation zone, said liquid fraction comprising said at least one product and water, and introducing at least a portion of said withdrawn liquid fraction into at least one separation zone to provide by phase separation an organic liquid fraction comprising said at least one product and an aqueous liquid fraction comprising water; e. withdrawing said organic liquid fraction from said at least one separation zone, said organic liquid fraction comprising said at least one product, and introducing at least a portion of said withdrawn organic liquid fraction into at least one reactant recovery distillation zone to provide an overhead fraction comprising said at least one reactant and a bottoms liquid fraction comprising said at least one product; f. withdrawing said bottoms liquid fraction from said at least one reactant recovery distillation zone, said bottoms liquid fraction comprising said at least one product, and introducing at least a portion of said withdrawn bottoms liquid fraction into at least one product recovery distillation zone to provide an overhead fraction comprising said at least one product and a bottoms liquid fraction comprising heavies; and g. recovering said at least one product from said withdrawn overhead fraction.