Patent ID: 8530706

Claim:
A reactor for the preparation of an alkylene glycol from an alkylene oxide, comprising: (a) a carboxylation zone comprising one or more inlets for liquid reagents comprising alkylene oxide, water, a homogeneous carboxylation catalyst and a homogenous hydrolysis catalyst, one or more inlets for carbon dioxide, one or more ejectors for mixing carbon dioxide with the liquid reagents, and one or more outlets for a reaction solution comprising alkylene carbonate, water, the homogeneous carboxylation catalyst and the homogeneous hydrolysis catalyst; (b) a hydrolysis zone comprising one or more inlets for the reaction solution, one or more outlets for carbon dioxide, and one or more outlets for a product solution comprising alkylene glycol, the homogeneous carboxylation catalyst and the homogeneous hydrolysis catalyst; and (c) a channel whereby carbon dioxide can be supplied from the hydrolysis zone to the carboxylation zone, wherein the carboxylation zone and the hydrolysis zone are contained within one reactor vessel and wherein the carboxylation zone is separated from the hydrolysis zone by an internal baffle.