Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the extractive recovery of a homogeneous ruthenium catalyst from the reaction product of the hydrogenation of glycolic acid, glycolate esters, and/or glycolic acid oligomers with an extractant comprising a hydrophobic solvent and an optional hydrophilic solvent. The ruthenium catalyst, which can include 1,1,1-tris(diaryl- or dialkylphosphinomethyl)alkane ligands, can be recovered from the hydrophobic extract phase by back extraction with a hydrophilic solvent and recycled to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by the hydrogenation of glycolic acid and glycolic acid derivatives.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the extractive recovery of an acid catalyst from an aqueous mixture of glycolic acid with an extraction solvent comprising a tertiary amine or an onium carboxylate compound, a modifier, and a diluent. The acid catalyst, which can comprise strong acids such as sulfuric acid, alkyl sulfonic acids, and fluoroalkyl sulfonic acids, can be recovered by back extraction with aqueous formaldehyde and recycled to a process for the preparation of glycolic acid by the acid-catalyzed carbonylation of formaldehyde. Also disclosed is a process for the preparation of glycolic acid by the acid-catalyzed hydrocarboxylation of formaldehyde.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the extractive recovery of a homogeneous ruthenium catalyst from the reaction product of the hydrogenation of glycolic acid, glycolate esters, and/or glycolic acid oligomers with an extractant comprising a hydrophobic solvent and an optional hydrophilic solvent. The ruthenium catalyst, which can include 1,1,1-tris(diaryl- or dialkylphosphinomethyl)alkane ligands, can be recovered from the hydrophobic extract phase by back extraction with a hydrophilic solvent and recycled to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by the hydrogenation of glycolic acid and glycolic acid derivatives.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the extractive recovery of an acid catalyst from an aqueous mixture of glycolic acid with an extraction solvent comprising a tertiary amine or an onium carboxylate compound, a modifier, and a diluent. The acid catalyst, which can comprise strong acids such as sulfuric acid, alkyl sulfonic acids, and fluoroalkyl sulfonic acids, can be recovered by back extraction with aqueous formaldehyde and recycled to a process for the preparation of glycolic acid by the acid-catalyzed carbonylation of formaldehyde.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the extractive recovery of a homogeneous ruthenium catalyst from the reaction product of the hydrogenation of glycolic acid, glycolate esters, and/or glycolic acid oligomers with an extractant comprising a hydrophobic solvent and an optional hydrophilic solvent. The ruthenium catalyst, which can include 1,1,1-tris(diaryl- or dialkylphosphinomethyl)alkane ligands, can be recovered from the hydrophobic extract phase by back extraction with a hydrophilic solvent and recycled to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by the hydrogenation of glycolic acid and glycolic acid derivatives.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the extractive recovery of a homogeneous ruthenium catalyst from the reaction product of the hydrogenation of glycolic acid, glycolate esters, and/or glycolic acid oligomers with an extractant comprising a hydrophobic solvent and an optional hydrophilic solvent. The ruthenium catalyst, which can include 1,1,1-tris(diaryl- or dialkylphosphinomethyl)alkane ligands, can be recovered from the hydrophobic extract phase by back extraction with a hydrophilic solvent and recycled to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by the hydrogenation of glycolic acid and glycolic acid derivatives.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the extractive recovery of an acid catalyst from an aqueous mixture of glycolic acid with an extraction solvent comprising a tertiary amine or an onium carboxylate compound, a modifier, and a diluent. The acid catalyst, which can comprise strong acids such as sulfuric acid, alkyl sulfonic acids, and fluoroalkyl sulfonic acids, can be recovered by back extraction with aqueous formaldehyde and recycled to a process for the preparation of glycolic acid by the acid-catalyzed carbonylation of formaldehyde. Also disclosed is a process for the preparation of glycolic acid by the acid-catalyzed hydrocarboxylation of formaldehyde.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the extractive recovery of an acid catalyst from an aqueous mixture of glycolic acid with an extraction solvent comprising a tertiary amine or an onium carboxylate compound, a modifier, and a diluent. The acid catalyst, which can comprise strong acids such as sulfuric acid, alkyl sulfonic acids, and fluoroalkyl sulfonic acids, can be recovered by back extraction with aqueous formaldehyde and recycled to a process for the preparation of glycolic acid by the acid-catalyzed carbonylation of formaldehyde.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the extractive recovery of a homogeneous ruthenium catalyst from the reaction product of the hydrogenation of glycolic acid, glycolate esters, and/or glycolic acid oligomers with an extractant comprising a hydrophobic solvent and an optional hydrophilic solvent. The ruthenium catalyst, which can include 1,1,1-tris(diaryl- or dialkylphosphinomethyl)alkane ligands, can be recovered from the hydrophobic extract phase by back extraction with a hydrophilic solvent and recycled to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by the hydrogenation of glycolic acid and glycolic acid derivatives.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the extractive recovery of a homogeneous ruthenium catalyst from the reaction product of the hydrogenation of glycolic acid, glycolate esters, and/or glycolic acid oligomers with an extractant comprising a hydrophobic solvent and an optional hydrophilic solvent. The ruthenium catalyst, which can include 1,1,1-tris(diaryl- or dialkylphosphinomethyl)alkane ligands, can be recovered from the hydrophobic extract phase by back extraction with a hydrophilic solvent and recycled to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by the hydrogenation of glycolic acid and glycolic acid derivatives.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the recovery of phosphorus and/or iodine containing catalyst components, present as an organophosphorus compound such as trihydrocarbylphosphine compounds and tetrahydrocarbylphosphonium compounds, from a solution of at least one such organophosphorus compound in an organic solvent by the steps comprising (1) converting the organophosphorus compound to an iodide complex of a organophosphonium compound which is insoluble in the organic solvent; and (2) separating the insoluble iodide complex of the organophosphonium compound from the solution. The process also results in the recovery of iodine values present in the solution.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the recovery of phosphorus and/or iodine containing catalyst components, present as an organophosphorus compound such as trihydrocarbylphosphine compounds and tetrahydrocarbylphosphonium compounds, from a solution of at least one such organophosphorus compound in an organic solvent by the steps comprising (1) converting the organophosphorus compound to an iodide complex of a organophosphonium compound which is insoluble in the organic solvent; and (2) separating the insoluble iodide complex of the organophosphonium compound from the solution. The process also results in the recovery of iodine values present in the solution.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the recovery of phosphorus and/or iodine containing catalyst components, present as an organophosphorus compound such as trihydrocarbylphosphine compounds and tetrahydro-carbylphosphonium compounds, from a solution of at least one such organophosphorus compound in an organic solvent by the steps comprising (1) converting the organophosphorus compound to an iodide complex of a organophosphonium compound which is insoluble in the organic solvent; and (2) separating the insoluble iodide complex of the organophosphonium compound from the solution. The process also results in the recovery of iodine values present in the solution.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for separating one or more organophosphorus ligand degradation products, one or more reaction byproducts and one or more products from a continuously generated reaction product fluid comprising one or more unreacted reactants, a metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, optionally free organophosphorus ligand, said one or more organophosphorus ligand degradation products, said one or more reaction byproducts, said one or more products, one or more polar solvents and one or more nonpolar solvents by phase separation wherein (i) the selectivity of the polar phase for the organophosphorus ligand with respect to the one or more products is expressed by a partition coefficient ratio Ef1 which is a value greater than about 2.5, (ii) the selectivity of the polar phase for the organophosphorus ligand with respect to the one or more organophosphorus ligand degradation products is expressed by a partition coefficient ratio Ef2 which is a value greater than about 2.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for separating one or more organophosphorus ligand degradation products, one or more reaction byproducts and one or more products from a continuously generated reaction product fluid comprising one or more unreacted reactants, a metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, optionally free organophosphorus ligand, said one or more organophosphorus ligand degradation products, said one or more reaction byproducts, said one or more products, one or more nonpolar solvents and one or more polar solvents by phase separation wherein (i) the selectivity of the nonpolar phase for the organophosphorus ligand with respect to the one or more products is expressed by a partition coefficient ratio Ef1which is a value greater than about 2.5, (ii) the selectivity of the nonpolar phase for the organophosphorus ligand with respect to the one or more organophosphorus ligand degradation products is expressed by a partition coefficient ratio Ef2 which is a value greater than about 2.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for separating one or more organophosphorus ligand degradation products, one or more reaction byproducts and one or more formylester products from a reaction product fluid comprising one or more unreacted unsaturated ester reactants, a metal-organophoshorus ligand complex catalyst, optionally free organophosphorus ligand, said one or more organophosphorus ligand degradation products, said one or more reaction byproducts, said one or more products, a nonpolar solvent and a polar solvent by phase separation wherein (i) the selectivity of the nonpolar phase for the organophosphorus ligand with respect to the one or more products is expressed by a partition coefficient ratio Ef1 which is a value greater than about 2.5 (ii) the selectivity of the nonpolar phase for the organophosphorus ligand with respect to the one or more organophosphorus ligand degradation products is expressed by a partition coefficient ratio Ef2 which is a value greater than about 2.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for separating one or more products from a reaction product fluid comprising a metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, optionally free organophosphorus ligand, said one or more products, one or more nonpolar reaction solvents and one or more polar reaction solvents, in which said reaction product fluid exhibits phase behavior depicted by FIG. 1, wherein said process comprises (1) supplying said reaction product fluid from a reaction zone to a separation zone, (2) controlling concentration of said one or more nonpolar reaction solvents and said one or more polar reaction solvents, temperature and pressure in said separation zone sufficient to obtain by phase separation two immiscible liquid phases depicted by regions 2, 4 and 6 of FIG. 1 comprising a polar phase and a nonpolar phase and to prevent or minimize formation of three immiscible liquid phases depicted by region 5 of FIG. 1 and one homogeneous liquid phase depicted by regions 1, 3 and 7 of FIG.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for separating one or more products from a reaction product fluid comprising a metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, optionally free organophosphorus ligand, said one or more products, one or more nonpolar reaction solvents and one or more polar reaction solvents, wherein said process comprises (1) subjecting said reaction product fluid to fractional countercurrent extraction with at least two immiscible extraction solvents, said at least two immiscible extraction solvents comprising at least one nonpolar extraction solvent and at least one polar extraction solvent, to obtain a nonpolar phase comprising said metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, said optionally free organophosphorus ligand, said one or more nonpolar reaction solvents and said at least one nonpolar extraction solvent and a polar phase comprising said one or more products, said one or more polar reaction solvents and said at least one polar extraction solvent, and (2) recovering said polar

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for separating one or more organophosphorus ligand degradation products, one or more reaction byproducts and one or more formylester products from a reaction product fluid comprising one or more unreacted unsaturated ester reactants, a metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, optionally free organophosphorus ligand, said one or more organophosphorus ligand degradation products, said one or more reaction byproducts, said one or more products, a polar solvent and a nonpolar solvent by phase separation wherein(i) the selectivity of the polar phase for the organophosphorus ligand with respect to the one or more products is expressed by a partition coefficient ratio Ef1 which is a value greater than about 2.5, (ii) the selectivity of the polar phase for the organophosphorus ligand with respect to the one or more organophosphorus ligand degradation products is expressed by a partition coefficient ratio Ef2 which is a value greater than about 2.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for separating one or more products from a reaction product fluid comprising a metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, optionally free organophosphorus ligand, said one or more products, one or more polar reaction solvents and one or more nonpolar reaction solvents, wherein said process comprises (1) subjecting said reaction product fluid to fractional countercurrent extraction with at least two immiscible extraction solvents, said at least two immiscible extraction solvents comprising at least one polar extraction solvent and at least one nonpolar extraction solvent, to obtain a polar phase comprising said metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, said optionally free organophosphorus ligand, said one or more polar reaction solvents and said at least one polar extraction solvent and a nonpolar phase comprising said one or more products, said one or more nonpolar reaction solvents and said at least one nonpolar extraction solvent, and (2) recovering said nonpo