Patent ID: 8609879

Claim:
A method for separating acetonitrile from water, comprising (i) providing a stream S 1 comprising at least 95 wt.-%, based on the total weight of S 1 , acetonitrile and water, wherein the weight ratio of acetonitrile : water is greater than 1; (ii) adding a stream P, comprising at least 95 wt.-% C3, based on the total weight of stream P, to S 1 to obtain a mixed stream S 2 , C3 being propene optionally admixed with propane with a minimum weight ratio of propene : propane of 7:3; (iii) subjecting S 2 to a temperature of 92° C. at most and a pressure of at least 10 bar, obtaining a first liquid phase L 1 essentially consisting of C3, acetonitrile, and water, and a second liquid phase L 2 essentially consisting of water and acetonitrile wherein the weight ratio of acetonitrile: water in L 2 is less than 1; (iv) separating L 1 from L 2 .