Abstract: In the epoxidation of propylene with tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to form propylene oxide, a by-product, tertiary butyl alcohol is formed. This alcohol can be dehydrated to form isobutylene which can be sold as a product or hydrogenated, followed by oxidation, and the resulting hydroperoxide reacted with propylene to produce propylene oxide and tertiary butyl alcohol for recycle. In this process, the operation of the tertiary butyl alcohol vaporizer is substantially improved by increasing the quantity of liquid purge to at least 15 weight percent of the input. Under such operating conditions, the organic content of the waste water effluent from the entire plant is reduced, fouling of the vaporizer heat transfer surfaces is minimized thereby increasing the on-stream time between cleanings by as much as 2-3 times the normal, and deposits are more easily removed from the vaporizer when it is shut down for cleaning.

Abstract: Metallic catalyst is removed selectively from an epoxidation effluent containing the catalyst and acidic materials by contacting the effluent with a specified quantity of an aqueous basic solution to preferentially remove the metallic catalyst therefrom without substantial removal of acidic materials therefrom, and thereafter neutralizing the acidic materials.

Abstract: A minor amount of a radical trap, that is, an organic compound readily reacting with an organic radical, when combined with a polyolefin having a melt index of from about 0.2 to about 10, can be associated with 70 per cent tertiary butyl hydroperoxide (containing about 30 per cent water). In the event of accidental conflagration of the combination, the combustion continues at a moderate rate, thereby avoiding the propensity toward troublesomely rapid burning of unmodified aqueous 70 per cent TBHP. Container liners should have a polyolefin thickness of 0.7 to 7 mm, the polyolefin containing such radical trap in a concentration of from about 0.1 to about 5 per cent, generally 0.2 to 2 per cent. If particulate polyolefin is used, the radical trap concentration should be from about 10 to about 100,000 parts per million parts of aqueous TBHP. A concentration of polyolefin particles from about 0.6 per cent to about 6 per cent by weight of the TBHP is suitable.