Patent ID: 6838571

Claim:
Process for manufacturing oxirane by reaction of an olefin with a peroxide compound in the presence of a catalyst and a solvent in at least two reactors arranged in series, each of which contains a portion of catalyst, according to which a first portion of the olefin, the solvent and all of the peroxide compound are introduced into a first reactor, an epoxidation of the first portion of the olefin is carried out therein in order to form a first portion of the oxirane, a medium comprising the first portion of the oxirane formed, the solvent, the unconsumed peroxide compound and possibly the unconverted olefin is removed from this reactor, the medium and another portion of the olefin are introduced into a subsequent reactor, an epoxidation of the other portion of the olefin is carried out therein using the unconsumed peroxide compound obtained from the first reactor, in order to form another portion of the oxirane, and the other portion of the oxirane thus formed is collected, wherein no substantial amount of solvent is added between the first and second reactor.