Process for the recovery of glycols from an aqueous solution
First Claim
1. A process for the recovery of glycols or glycerol having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms in the molecule from an aqueous solution containing said glycol or glycerol, a dissolved borate and osmium compounds derived from the aqueous phase oxidation of a C2 -C4 olefinic compound selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, allyl alcohol and butylene with molecular oxygen in the presence of an octavalent osmium catalyst and an alkali metal borate which comprises the steps of:
- adding to the aqueous solution at least one water soluble organic solvent selected from the group consisting of lower alkanones, lower alkanols, lower alkyl ethers and cyclic ethers containing only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, and lower alkyl nitriles to co-precipitate borate and reduced osmium compounds from said solution;
separating the precipitated borate and osmium compounds from said solution to form a water-solvent-glycol mixture containing a minor amount of an alkali metal acetate; and
distilling said mixture to separate water and solvent and recovering the desired glycol or glycerol.
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Abstract
A process for the recovery of glycols such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycols, and butylene glycols from an aqueous solution containing a glycol, a dissolved alkali metal borate and osmium compounds comprising coprecipitating the borate and reduced osmium compound from the aqueous solution with water soluble organic solvents, separating the precipitated borate and osmium compound from the solution and recovering the glycol from the remaining water/solvent/glycol solution. The aqueous solutions are derived from the aqueous phase oxidation of an olefin with molecular oxygen in the presence of an octavalent osmium and a borate to prepare the corresponding glycol.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A process for the recovery of glycols or glycerol having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms in the molecule from an aqueous solution containing said glycol or glycerol, a dissolved borate and osmium compounds derived from the aqueous phase oxidation of a C2 -C4 olefinic compound selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, allyl alcohol and butylene with molecular oxygen in the presence of an octavalent osmium catalyst and an alkali metal borate which comprises the steps of:
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adding to the aqueous solution at least one water soluble organic solvent selected from the group consisting of lower alkanones, lower alkanols, lower alkyl ethers and cyclic ethers containing only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, and lower alkyl nitriles to co-precipitate borate and reduced osmium compounds from said solution; separating the precipitated borate and osmium compounds from said solution to form a water-solvent-glycol mixture containing a minor amount of an alkali metal acetate; and distilling said mixture to separate water and solvent and recovering the desired glycol or glycerol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification