Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved process for producing taurine from ammonium isethionate without generating or using any acid within the cyclic process as recited in the claims appended hereto.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for producing taurine in a molar yield of at least 80% from alkali isethionate, alkali ditaurinate, or alkali tritaurinate by adding excess ammonia and at least of equal molar amount of an alkali hydroxide to a solution comprised of alkali ditaurinate, alkali tritaurinate, or their mixture and subjecting the solution to an ammonolysis to yield a solution comprised of alkali taurinate.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for producing taurine in a molar yield of at least 80% from alkali isethionate, alkali ditaurinate, or alkali tritaurinate by adding excess ammonia and at least of equal molar amount of an alkali hydroxide to a solution comprised of alkali ditaurinate, alkali tritaurinate, or their mixture and subjecting the solution to an ammonolysis to yield a solution comprised of alkali taurinate.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for producing taurine in a molar yield of at least 80% from alkali isethionate, alkali ditaurinate, or alkali tritaurinate by adding excess ammonia and at least of equal molar amount of an alkali hydroxide to a solution comprised of alkali ditaurinate, alkali tritaurinate, or their mixture and subjecting the solution to an ammonolysis to yield a solution comprised of alkali taurinate.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for producing taurine in a molar yield of at least 80% from alkali isethionate, alkali ditaurinate, or alkali tritaurinate by adding excess ammonia and at least of equal molar amount of an alkali hydroxide to a solution comprised of alkali ditaurinate, alkali tritaurinate, or their mixture and subjecting the solution to an ammonolysis to yield a solution comprised of alkali taurinate.

Abstract: There is disclosed a cyclic process for producing taurine from monoethanolamine comprising the steps of: (a) recovering monoethanolamine sulfate from an aqueous mother liquor solution; (b) reacting the monoethanolamine sulfate with sulfuric acid to form an aqueous solution comprised of monoethanolamine bisulfate; (c) heating the aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine sulfate and optionally added monoethanolamine sulfate to yield 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester; and (d) reacting the ester with ammonium sulfite or an alkali sulfite to yield taurine.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for recovering monoethanolamine from an aqueous mother liquor solution comprising the steps of: (a) adding excess ammonia or alkali hydroxide and a solvent to the aqueous solution comprised of monoethanolamine sulfate and at least one component selected from the group of inorganic salts consisting of ammonium sulfate, ammonium sulfite, alkali sulfite, and alkali sulfate, to precipitate the inorganic salts, wherein the alkali is lithium, sodium, or potassium; (b) separating the inorganic salts by means of a solid-liquid separation to yield an aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine; and (c) distilling the solvent to yield an aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine and optionally purifying the MEA by distillation. The recovered MEA is recycled to produce taurine.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for preparing levetiracetam and intermediates from a compound of the formula: wherein CR is selected from the group consisting of cyano, carboxylic acid, carboxamide, alkali carboxylate, alkaline earth metal carboxylate, alkyl carboxylate, and a mixture thereof.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for preparing levetiracetam and intermediates from a compound of the formula: wherein CR is selected from the group consisting of cyano, carboxylic acid, carboxamide, alkali carboxylate, alkaline earth metal carboxylate, alkyl carboxylate, and a mixture thereof.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for preparing levetiracetam and intermediates from a compound of the formula: wherein CR is selected from the group consisting of cyano, carboxylic acid, carboxamide, alkali carboxylate, alkaline earth metal carboxylate, alkyl carboxylate, and a mixture thereof.

Abstract: There is disclosed a cyclic process for producing taurine from monoethanolamine comprising the steps of: (a) recovering monoethanolamine sulfate from an aqueous mother liquor solution; (b) reacting the monoethanolamine sulfate with sulfuric acid to form an aqueous solution comprised of monoethanolamine bisulfate; (c) heating the aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine sulfate and optionally added monoethanolamine sulfate to yield 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester; and (d) reacting the ester with ammonium sulfite or an alkali sulfite to yield taurine.

Abstract: There is disclosed a cyclic process for producing taurine from monoethanolamine comprising the steps of: (a) recovering monoethanolamine sulfate from an aqueous mother liquor solution; (b) reacting the monoethanolamine sulfate with sulfuric acid to form an aqueous solution comprised of monoethanolamine bisulfate; (c) heating the aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine sulfate and optionally added monoethanolamine sulfate to yield 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester; (d) reacting the ester with ammonium sulfite or an alkali sulfite to yield taurine and ammonium or alkali sulfate; (e) separating taurine and ammonium or alkali sulfate to give an aqueous mother liquor solution; and (f) recovering the monoethanolamine sulfate from the aqueous mother liquor solution and recycling to the monoethanolamine sulfate to step (b).

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for recovering monoethanolamine from an aqueous mother liquor solution comprising the steps of: (a) adding excess ammonia or alkali hydroxide and a solvent to the aqueous solution comprised of monoethanolamine sulfate and at least one component selected from the group of inorganic salts consisting of ammonium sulfate, ammonium sulfite, alkali sulfite, and alkali sulfate, to precipitate the inorganic salts, wherein the alkali is lithium, sodium, or potassium; (b) separating the inorganic salts by means of a solid-liquid separation to yield an aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine; and (c) distilling the solvent to yield an aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine and optionally purifying the MEA by distillation. The recovered MEA is recycled to produce taurine.

Abstract: There is disclosed a cyclic process for producing taurine from monoethanolamine comprising the steps of: (a) recovering monoethanolamine sulfate from an aqueous mother liquor solution; (b) reacting the monoethanolamine sulfate with sulfuric acid to form an aqueous solution comprised of monoethanolamine bisulfate; (c) heating the aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine sulfate and optionally added monoethanolamine sulfate to yield 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester; (d) reacting the ester with ammonium sulfite or an alkali sulfite to yield taurine and ammonium or alkali sulfate; (e) separating taurine and ammonium or alkali sulfate to give an aqueous mother liquor solution; and (f) recovering the monoethanolamine sulfate from the aqueous mother liquor solution and recycling to the monoethanolamine sulfate to step (b).

Abstract: There is disclosed a cyclic process for producing taurine from monoethanolamine comprising the steps of: (a) reacting monoethanolamine with ammonium sulfate in the recycling mother liquor to yield monoethanolamine sulfate; (b) reacting the monoethanolamine sulfate with sulfuric acid to form 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester; (c) subjecting the 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester to a sulfonation reaction with ammonium sulfite to yield taurine and ammonium sulfate; (d) separating the taurine and the ammonium sulfate by means of solid-liquid separation; (e) removing the excess ammonium sulfite from the mother liquor to obtain an aqueous solution comprised of ammonium sulfate and (f) returning the aqueous solution to step (a) to complete the cyclic process.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for producing alkali taurinate from alkali isethionate, alkali ditaurinate, or alkali tritaurinate by adding excess ammonia and at least of equal molar amount of an alkali hydroxide to a solution comprised of alkali ditaurinate, alkali tritaurinate, or their mixture and subjecting the solution to an ammonolysis to yield a solution comprised of alkali taurinate.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for producing alkali taurinate by the ammonolysis of alkali ditaurinate, alkali tritaurinate, or a solution of alkali ditaurinate and alkali tritaurinate in the presence of one or more catalysts. The ammonolysis reaction is catalyzed by alkali salts of hydroxide, sulfate, sulfite, phosphate, or carbonate.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for the separation of long chain amino acid and long chain dibasic acid, comprising: (1) adding an ammonium salt to the mixture of alkali salts of long chain amino acid and long chain dibasic acid; (2) heating to remove ammonia; and (3) separating long chain amino acid by solid-liquid separation; and (4) acidifying the salt of long chain dibasic acid with an acid to separate long chain dibasic acid.

Abstract: A cyclic process is disclosed for the production of taurine from alkali isethionate in a high overall yield by continuously converting the byproducts of the ammonolysis reaction, sodium ditaurinate and sodium tritaurinate, to sodium taurinate. Sodium sulfate and residual taurine in the crystallization mother liquor are efficiently separated by converting taurine into a highly soluble form of sodium taurinate or ammonium taurinate while selectively crystallizing sodium sulfate.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the production of taurine in high yield by a cyclic process of reacting monoethanolamine, sulfuric acid, and ammonium sulfite in the presence of additives to inhibit the hydrolysis of 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate intermediate. The cyclic process is economical and little waste is generated.