Abstract: A process for recovering methacrolein and methanol from methacrolein dimethyl acetal. The method comprises a step of contacting a mixture comprising methyl methacrylate and methacrolein dimethyl acetal with a strong acid ion exchange resin in the presence of water. The mixture comprises no more than 0.2 wt % sodium methacrylate.

Abstract: A process for recovering methacrolein and methanol from methacrolein dimethyl acetal. The method comprises a step of contacting a mixture comprising methyl methacrylate and methacrolein dimethyl acetal with a strong acid ion exchange resin in the presence of water. The mixture comprises no more than 0.2 wt % sodium methacrylate.

Abstract: A method for preparing methyl methacrylate from methacrolein and methanol; said method comprising contacting in a reactor a mixture comprising methacrolein, methanol and oxygen with a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a support and a noble metal, wherein pH at the reactor outlet is from 3 to 6.7.

Abstract: A method for preparing methyl methacrylate from methacrolein and methanol; said method comprising contacting in a reactor a mixture comprising methacrolein, methanol and oxygen with a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a support and a noble metal, wherein pH at the reactor outlet is from 3 to 6.7.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods comprising distilling a reaction mixture of methacrolein and methanol used to make methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of one or more strong or inorganic acids, the mixture comprising an aqueous organic component mixture of all of water, MMA, methacrolein methanol and acetals or hemiacetals of methacrolein to remove the acetals or hemiacetals of methacrolein to a level of 100 ppm or below, based on the amount of methyl methacrylate. The method reduces the amount of acetals or hemiacetals of methacrolein to well below equilibrium levels and eliminates the need for additional downstream distillation to refine the product of the reaction.

Abstract: A process for purifying methyl methacrylate by feeding a product mixture comprising methanol, methyl methacrylate and alkali metal salts thereof, methacrolein, water and heavy byproducts to a distillation column having at least 15 trays. The product mixture and a C6-C7 hydrocarbon enter the distillation column above the middle of the distillation column. An overhead stream comprising C6-C7 hydrocarbon, methacrolein, methanol, water and methyl methacrylate and a bottoms stream comprising water, methyl methacrylate and its alkali metal salt and heavy byproducts are removed from the column.

Abstract: A process for purifying methyl methacrylate by (a) feeding a mixture comprising methyl methacrylate and its alkali salt into a distillation column above the middle along with a hydrocarbon; (b) removing a first overhead stream; (c) removing a first bottoms stream; (d) feeding the first overhead stream to a first water separator to produce (i) a first organic phase and (ii) a first aqueous phase which enters a methanol drying column which produces a second overhead stream and a second bottoms stream; (e) feeding the first bottoms stream to a second water separator to produce (i) a second aqueous phase which is fed to an MMA stripper column which produces a third overhead stream and a third bottoms stream, and (ii) a second organic phase; (f) combining the second organic phase and the second bottoms stream into a third water separator which produces a third organic phase which enters an MMA drying column which produces a fourth bottoms stream, and (g) feeding the fourth bottoms stream to an MMA product column.

Abstract: A process for purifying methyl methacrylate. The method comprises: (a) feeding a product mixture comprising methyl methacrylate, methanol, water and oligomers of methyl methacrylate to a divided section of a distillation column comprising a dividing wall; (b) removing an overhead stream and a bottoms stream from the distillation column, and removing a middle side draw stream from the distillation column; wherein the crude product enters the dividing wall distillation column in a divided section on an opposing side of the dividing wall from the middle side draw stream; and (c) removing an upper side draw stream from a point above the dividing wall and below the top of the distillation column, separating a portion of water from the upper side draw stream to produce a dewatered upper side draw stream and returning the dewatered upper side draw stream to the distillation column.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods comprising distilling a reaction mixture of methacrolein and methanol used to make methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of one or more strong or inorganic acids, the mixture comprising an aqueous organic component mixture of all of water, MMA, methacrolein methanol and acetals or hemiacetals of methacrolein to remove the acetals or hemiacetals of methacrolein to a level of 100 ppm or below, based on the amount of methyl methacrylate. The method reduces the amount of acetals or hemiacetals of methacrolein to well below equilibrium levels and eliminates the need for additional downstream distillation to refine the product of the reaction.

Abstract: A process for purifying methyl methacrylate by feeding a product mixture comprising methanol, methyl methacrylate and alkali metal salts thereof, methacrolein, water and heavy byproducts to a distillation column having at least 15 trays. The product mixture and a C6-C7 hydrocarbon enter the distillation column above the middle of the distillation column. An overhead stream comprising C6-C7 hydrocarbon, methacrolein, methanol, water and methyl methacrylate and a bottoms stream comprising water, methyl methacrylate and its alkali metal salt and heavy byproducts are removed from the column.

Abstract: A process for purifying methyl methacrylate by (a) feeding a mixture comprising methyl methacrylate and its alkali salt into a distillation column above the middle along with a hydrocarbon; (b) removing a first overhead stream; (c) removing a first bottoms stream; (d) feeding the first overhead stream to a first water separator to produce (i) a first organic phase and (ii) a first aqueous phase which enters a methanol drying column which produces a second overhead stream and a second bottoms stream; (e) feeding the first bottoms stream to a second water separator to produce (i) a second aqueous phase which is fed to an MMA stripper column which produces a third overhead stream and a third bottoms stream, and (ii) a second organic phase; (f) combining the second organic phase and the second bottoms stream into a third water separator which produces a third organic phase which enters an MMA drying column which produces a fourth bottoms stream, and (g) feeding the fourth bottoms stream to an MMA product column

Abstract: A methanol/MMA azeotrope is broken or avoided by a method comprising the steps of (1) raising the pressure within a first vessel, e.g., a distillation column, that contains a methanol/MMA azeotrope, (2) collecting the azeotrope as a liquid, and then in a second, separate vessel, e.g., another distillation column, (3) raising the pressure sufficiently to allow for the breaking of or avoidance of the azeotrope and the recovery of the methanol.

Abstract: A process for purifying methyl methacrylate. The method comprises: (a) feeding a product mixture comprising methyl methacrylate, methanol, water and oligomers of methyl methacrylate to a divided section of a distillation column comprising a dividing wall; (b) removing an overhead stream and a bottoms stream from the distillation column, and removing a middle side draw stream from the distillation column; wherein the crude product enters the dividing wall distillation column in a divided section on an opposing side of the dividing wall from the middle side draw stream; and (c) removing an upper side draw stream from a point above the dividing wall and below the top of the distillation column, separating a portion of water from the upper side draw stream to produce a dewatered upper side draw stream and returning the dewatered upper side draw stream to the distillation column.

Abstract: The azeotrope, or near azeotrope, of methanol and MMA is separated via extractive distillation using an extractive distillation solvent comprising cyclohexanone.

Abstract: The azeotrope, or near azeotrope, of methanol and MMA is separated via extractive distillation using an extractive distillation solvent comprising cyclohexanone.

Abstract: A methanol/MMA azeotrope is broken or avoided by a method comprising the steps of (1) raising the pressure within a first vessel, e.g., a distillation column, that contains a methanol/MMA azeotrope, (2) collecting the azeotrope as a liquid, and then in a second, separate vessel, e.g., another distillation column, (3) raising the pressure sufficiently to allow for the breaking of or avoidance of the azeotrope and the recovery of the methanol.

Abstract: A process comprising: a) contacting a polyhydric phenol and an epihalohydrin in the presence of a catalyst under reaction conditions to form an organic feed comprising a bishalohydrin ether and a solvent; b) contacting the organic feed and an aqueous feed comprising an inorganic hydroxide in a reciprocating-plate column reactor under reaction conditions to form a dispersed aqueous phase and an organic product; and c) collecting the organic product comprising an epoxy resin, is disclosed.

Abstract: A process comprising: a) contacting a polyhydric phenol and an epihalohydrin in the presence of a catalyst under reaction conditions to form an organic feed comprising a bishalohydrin ether; b) contacting the organic feed and an aqueous feed comprising an inorganic hydroxide with a high shear mixer to produce a first mixed feed; c) contacting the first mixed feed with a phase separator to form a first organic product comprising an epoxy resin and a first aqueous product; and d) recovering the first organic product, is disclosed.

Abstract: A process comprising: a) contacting a polyhydric phenol and an epihalohydrin in the presence of a catalyst under reaction conditions to form an organic feed comprising a bishalohydrin ether; b) contacting the organic feed and an aqueous feed comprising an inorganic hydroxide with a high shear mixer to produce a first mixed feed; c) contacting the first mixed feed with a phase separator to form a first organic product comprising an epoxy resin and a first aqueous product; and d) recovering the first organic product, is disclosed.

Abstract: Use a modified, amine-functionalized anion exchange resin as a catalyst to produce a bishalohydrin ether and then dehydrohalogenate the bishalohydrin ether with an aqueous inorganic hydroxide mixture to yield a liquid epoxy resin.