Abstract: Ethylbenzene hydroperoxide suitable for epoxidizing an olefin using a heterogeneous titanium catalyst is provided by the sequence of:a) flashing acids containing ethylbenzene peroxidase to reduce the temperature thereof to 170.degree. F. or lower,b) contacting the flash bottoms with aqueous base and separating a base contaminated deacidified hydroperoxide stream from an organics contaminated aqueous stream,c) removing organics from the organics contaminated aqueous stream by extraction with ethylbenzene,d) separating base from the base contaminated deacidified hydroperoxide stream by water extraction, ande) stripping water from deacidified water extracted hydroperoxide stream.

Abstract: Acetaldehyde may be effectively removed from a contaminated methanol stream using a distillation method wherein a solvent stream containing a relatively heavy polar compound such as water or propylene glycol is utilized as an extractive distillation solvent. Following the separation of the polar compound from the bottoms stream obtained by extractive distillation, the purified methanol may be recycled for use as a reaction solvent in an olefin epoxidation process.

Abstract: Propylene is separated from the methanol present as a solvent in a crude olefin epoxidation product by means of an extractive distillation wherein a relatively heavy polar solvent having hydroxy groups such as water or propylene glycol is used as the extractive solvent. The method is also useful for removing water and impurities such as acetaldehyde from the propylene oxide.

Abstract: An olefin epoxidation process is operated using a plurality of reactor vessels, each containing a fixed bed of a heterogeneous catalyst such as titania-on-silica. The reactor vessels are connected in series whereby a feedstream comprised of olefin and an active oxygen species is passed through said series of reactor vessels in contact with the heterogeneous catalyst to accomplish conversion of the olefin to the corresponding epoxide. As the activity of the catalyst in an individual reactor vessel falls to an undesirably low level, said reactor vessel is taken out of service and a replacement reactor vessel containing fresh or regenerated catalyst introduced. The replacement reactor vessel may, in alternative embodiments of the process, be the first or the last reactor vessel in said series. For example, the feedstream may first be contacted with either the most active or the least active charge of catalyst within the series of reactor vessels.

Abstract: An apparatus for the molecular oxygen oxidation of a secondary alcohol such as isopropanol to hydrogen peroxide is provided.

Abstract: A reactor and process is for the production of oxirane compounds by reaction of an olefin such as propylene with an organic hydroperoxide using a solid contact catalyst, characterized by the following features:(1) the reactor is divided into a series of separate zones, each zone containing a bed of solid epoxidation catalyst;(2) conditions are maintained so as to provide the liquid phase without substantial vapor formation throughout the entire reactor;(3) cold reactor feed is provided which is preheated to reaction temperature by separate indirect heat exchange with reaction liquid from various of the separate reactor zones;(4) reaction liquid from the last of the series of reaction zones is reduced in pressure to form a gas-liquid mixture at a lower temperature, and this gas liquid mixture is heated by indirect heat exchange with the reaction liquid from at least one of the separate reactor zones.

Abstract: A reactor and process is for the production of oxirane compounds by reaction of an olefin such as propylene with an organic hydroperoxide using a solid contact catalyst, characterized by the following features:(1) the reactor is divided into a series of separate zones, each zone containing a bed of solid epoxidation catalyst;(2) about 25-75% of the heat of reaction is removed by preheating cold reactor feed by direct contact with a heated recycle stream from the reactor; and(3) about 25-75% of the heat of reaction is accounted for by a reaction mixture temperature rise of 20.degree.-100.degree. F. and by vaporization of 15-40% of the net reactor product.

Abstract: Epoxides are produced by an integrated process involving molecular oxygen oxidation of a secondary alcohol, separation of the ketone co-product, and epoxidation of an olefin using the ketone-free oxidation product in the presence of a titanium silicalite catalyst and a methanol-containing diluent wherein methanol recovered from the epoxidation product mixture serves as a source of methanol in the epoxidation step.

Abstract: An integrated process for producing cyclohexanone oxime, a caprolactam precursor, is provided wherein isopropanol is utilized to generate the hydrogen peroxide oxidizing agent. The acetone produced as a co-product is recycled back to the secondary alcohol by hydrogenation. Ammoximation of cyclohexanone is performed in the presence of water and an alcohol other than isopropanol such as methanol or t-butyl alcohol.

Abstract: A reactor is provided for carrying out highly exothermic reaction between liquids such as hydrogen peroxide and propylene. The reactor is made up of a series of separate zones containing a packed bed of solid catalyst; liquid from each zone is cooled with the main portion recycled to the same zone and a minor portion passing to the next successive zone.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the molecular oxygen oxidation of a secondary alcohol such as isopropanol to hydrogen peroxide is provided.

Abstract: Epoxides are produced by an integrated process involving molecular oxygen oxidation of a secondary alcohol, separation of the ketone by-product, and epoxidation of an olefin in the presence of a titanium silicalite catalyst and a diluent, wherein a crude alcohol stream obtained by removing epoxide from the epoxidation product mixture serves as the diluent. Despite use of the crude alcohol stream, which typically comprises water, organic acids and glycols, high selectivities to epoxides such as propylene oxide are realized.

Abstract: An olefin/oxygen purge gas from the catalytic reaction of the olefin with hydrogen peroxide is contacted with an absorbent liquid such as isopropanol and water to absorb olefin while an inert gas such as methane is added to avoid formation of flammable oxygen-containing gas compositions.

Abstract: A reactor is provided for carrying out highly exothermic reaction between liquids such as hydrogen peroxide and propylene. The reactor is made up of a series of separate zones containing a packed bed of solid catalyst; liquid from each zone is cooled with the main portion recycled to the same zone and a minor portion passing to the next successive zone.

Abstract: An integrated process for producing cyclohexanone oxime, a caprolactam precursor, is provided wherein a secondary alcohol is utilized to generate the hydrogen peroxide oxidizing agent and as a reaction medium for ammoximation. The ketone produced as a co-product is recycled back to the secondary alcohol by hydrogenation.

Abstract: Epoxides are produced by an integrated process involving molecular oxygen oxidation of an aliphatic secondary alcohol, separation of the ketone co-product, epoxidation of an ethylenically unsaturated substrate by the substantially ketone-free oxidation product in the presence of a titanium silicalite catalyst, and regeneration of the secondary alcohol by hydrogenation of the ketone co-product.

Abstract: Low value feed hydrocarbons are converted to high octane value tertiary ethers using a multiple riser fluidized solids catalytic reactor wherein in a first riser the hydrocarbon feed is converted to iso and linear C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 olefins, the iso-olefins are etherified, the linear C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 olefins are isomerized to iso C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 olefins in a second riser of the fluidized solids reactor, iso C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 olefins from the second riser are also etherified to high octane value tertiary ethers, and catalyst from both risers is regenerated in a common regeneration zone.

Abstract: TBA is prepared by a process wherein isobutane is continuously oxidized to a TBA/TBHP mixture, TBA is recovered from the mixture and TBHP is recycled to the isobutane oxidation step wherein it is converted to TBA at the isobutane oxidation conditions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the oxidation of isobutane to TBHP wherein the oxidation exothermic heat of reaction is removed by circulating a portion of the liquid reaction mixture through an indirect heat exchanger and comprises the further feature that the molecular oxygen necessary for the oxidation is introduced by means of sparging into the cooled, circulating liquid reaction mixture.

Abstract: A method is provided for the separation by extractive distillation of oxygenated impurities from a monoepoxide while avoiding epoxide loss, wherein lower glycol is used as extractive solvent in amounts so as to provide only up to about 0.3 mol % solvent in the vapor in the extractive distillation zone.