Abstract:
A process for preparing caprolactam by Beckmann rearrangement of cyclohexanone oxime with oleum at from 85.degree. to 125.degree. C. in a plurality of rearrangement stages arranged in series entails returning a portion of the reaction mixture leaving the last rearrangement stage to at least one of the preceding rearrangement stages.
Abstract:
A process of treating a ketoxime or aldoxime-containing amide mixture resulting from a Beckmann rearrangement of the corresponding ketoxime or aldoxime. The process involves hydrolysis of the mixture to remove the remaining ketoxime or aldoxime which are converted to the corresponding ketone or aldehyde and then separated off from the mixture. Any amino acid resulting from the hydrolysis can be reconverted to the corresponding amide by raising the temperature of the mixture.
Abstract:
Caprolactam is prepared in a process comprising the following steps:(a) reacting the 5-formylvaleric ester with liquid ammonia as reaction medium and hydrogen in the presence of a ruthenium catalyst in liquid phase at from 80.degree. to 140.degree. C. under a hydrogen partial pressure of from 40 to 100 bar,(b) replacing the reaction medium ammonia by an aromatic hydrocarbon having a boiling point of from 80.degree. to 240.degree. C. which is liquid under the reaction conditions,(c) heating the resulting mixture in liquid phase under superatmospheric pressure at 230.degree.-350.degree. C. to form caprolactam, and(d) isolating caprolactam from the resulting reaction mixture.
Abstract:
A method for removing impurities from caprolactam is disclosed. The method comprises the sequential steps of treating the impure caprolactam with phosphorus pentoxide so that the impurities react therewith to form high boiling species and then distilling the so treated impure lactam to recover substantially pure caprolactam as overhead, with the impurities remaining as bottoms.
Abstract:
This invention is the method to recover caprolactam from a concentrated nylon 6 chip wash water containing water, cyclic oligomer, and caprolactam. The method comprises feeding the concentrated wash water to a wiped-film evaporator operated at a temperature of from about 200.degree. C. to 300.degree. C. and a pressure from about 10 to about 250 Torr, thereby separating the wash water into (a) an overhead stream of water and caprolactam and (b) a bottom stream of caprolactam and cyclic oligomers, then recovering the caprolactam from the overhead stream. The caprolactam in the bottom stream can also be recovered, and the cyclic oligomers depolymerized to caprolactam for recovery.
Abstract:
An alkaline-catalyzed process for preparing poly-2-pyrrolidone characterized by the step of treating the polypyrrolidone reaction product mixture with an acid to prevent polymer agglomeration and prevent base-catalyzed polymer degradation. In another embodiment, unreacted poly-2-pyrrolidone is recovered by washing the acid-treated polymer reaction product mixture with water and the resulting wash water recovered, treated with further acid, and then subjected to a two-stage evaporation process. Poly-2-pyrrolidone is known as nylon 4, and can be shaped into filaments and various molded articles.
Abstract:
A method of recovering .epsilon.-caprolactam from the residue remaining from the distillation of impure .epsilon.-caprolactam wherein the residue is treated with sulphuric acid or oleum at a temperature between about 80.degree. C. and about 140.degree. C. and the resultant mixture neutralized. The lactam is then extracted with an organic solvent with the lactam then recovered from the resultant solution.
Abstract:
A process for removing sulfuric acid from reaction mixtures containing sulfuric acid and .epsilon.-caprolactam by treating the sulfuric acid with ammonia and sulfur dioxide to produce ammonium sulfate salts and reducing the ammonium sulfate salts to ammonia and sulfur dioxide.
Abstract:
A method of simultaneously purifying crude caprolactams obtained from the Beckmann rearrangement of cyclohexanone oxime in oleum and the gas-phase rearrangement of cyclohexanone oxime in the presence of catalysts. The improvement consists in that the crude caprolactam obtained from the catalytic gas-phase rearrangement is added to the acid rearrangement mixture derived from the Beckmann rearrangement in oleum and the mixture is maintained at temperatures of from 100.degree. to 200.degree. C with thorough mixing, whereupon it is neutralized and worked up. Advantageously, the content of lactam in the catalytic gas-phase rearrangement is from 5 to 30% of the content of lactam in the acid rearrangement mixture obtained from the Beckmann rearrangement.
Abstract:
A solvent extraction-distillation process for the recovery of a water-soluble aliphatic amide having 1 to 8 carbon atoms or mixtures thereof from an aqueous solution wherein the concentration of the amide is in the range of about 0.25 percent by weight to about 25 percent by weight, based on the weight of the solution, and the solvent is a compound having the following structural formula: ##STR1## wherein M is OH or CH.sub.2 OH, R is hydrogen or an alkyl radical, there being at least one alkyl radical, and the total number of carbon atoms in all of said alkyl radicals taken together is 3 to 12, or a mixture of isomers thereof,Said compound or mixture of isomers having a boiling point higher than the amide and less than about 350.degree. C. and being non-azeotropic with the amide,Comprising the following steps:(a) contacting the solution in an extraction zone with the solvent to provide an extract comprising solvent, amide, and no more than about 5 percent by weight of water based on the weight of the solution and a raffinate comprising at least about 95 percent by weight of water based on the weight of the solution and less than about 5 percent by weight of solvent based on the weight of the solvent;(b) introducing the extract from step (a) into a distillation zone wherein the pressure is less than about 500 millimeters of mercury and the temperature is less than the decomposition temperatures of the amide and the solvent at said pressure, to separate the solvent from a mixture of amide and water; and(c) recovering the mixture of amide and water.