Abstract:
A process for drying lactams to extremely low water contents is provided which comprises mixing the lactam with hydrocarbon distilling from the mixture a water/hydrocarbon vapor and or condensate, contacting said vapor or condensate with a drying agent to remove water and returning the dried distillate to the mixture to permit recycling process is capable of providing anionic polymerization grade lactam with a water content of less than about 50 ppm.
Abstract:
This invention is a method to recover caprolactam from a combined stream of mother liquor from a caprolactam crystallizer and other lactam containing aqueous streams, the improvement comprising steam distilling the combined stream at a temperature of from between about 180.degree. C. to 235.degree. C. in the absence of any depolymerization agent such as phosphoric acid; so that the residue from the steam distilling remains fluid; relatively low levels of caprolactam remain in the residue; less residue is generated; the recovered caprolactam has improved high quality; and losses of caprolactam due to side reactions are reduced.
Abstract:
A method for purifying raw caprolactam containing, as impurities, primary amides of the formula ##STR1## R being a hydrocarbon radical having 1-14 carbon atoms, and other by-products is described. The operations, carried out in the following order, consist in (a) treating a solution of raw caprolactam in a water insoluble organic solvent with water to extract most of the caprolactam in purified form, (b) separating the aqueous caprolactam solution and isolating the caprolactam, (c) treating the remaining organic solution with mineral acid to cause the formation of two phases, (d) separating these phases into a heavy phase containing the mineral acid, dilution water and most of the amides and by-products and a light phase containing the organic solvent and any residual amides and by-products, and (e) preferably recycling the light phase to (a). Further object of the invention is the purified caprolactam thus obtained.
Abstract:
2-Pyrrolidone is purified by contact with particulate calcium oxide for a sufficient time at elevated temperatures followed by distilling and condensing the purified 2-pyrrolidone.
Abstract:
A process for the purification of a solution of .epsilon.-caprolactam in benzene, toluene or xylene by washing with a liquid, wherein the washing liquid is a solution of .epsilon.-caprolactam in water in a weight ratio of from 15 : 1 to 1 : 3, which is used in a quantity of from 5 to 20% by weight, based on the solution of caprolactam in benzene, toluene or xylene, and wherein there are several washing stages so that the equilibrium between the two solutions can be readjusted.
Abstract:
In a process for manufacturing a lactam which includes rearranging a cycloalkanone-oxime with sulfuric acid to form said lactam, neutralizing the rearrangement mixture with ammonia to form ammonium sulfate, and separating said lactam and said ammonium sulfate, the improvement which comprises:A. forming the ammonium sulfate into finely divided particles;B. burning the particles at a temperature of 850.degree. - 1250.degree. C. to form an SO.sub.2 -containing gas;C. oxidizing the SO.sub.2 -containing gas to form sulfuric acid; andD. recycling at least a portion of the sulfuric acid to the cycloalkanone-oxime rearrangement step.No external source of sulfuric acid is required. A portion of the SO.sub.2 -containing gas can be used for the manufacture of hydroxylamine sulfate, in which case no external source of SO.sub.2 need be required.
Abstract:
In commercial processes for producing epsilon-caprolactam, the caprolactam product is in admixture with sulfuric acid. An improved process for removing sulfuric acid from the caprolactam results from treating the admixture with ammonia at superatmospheric pressure.
Abstract:
A process for preparing pure N-alkyl-lactams obtained by the reaction, in an organic solvent medium of, the corresponding lactamate of an alkali metal and an alkyl halide. This process consists of treating a reactive mixture of N-alkyl-lactam containing the corresponding cyclo-alkylene imine as an impurity with a current of carbon dioxide, until the cyclo-alkylene imine precipitates completely in the form of an insoluble carbonate, and then separating it from the precipitate.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a process for the purification of caprolactam which is obtained by rearrangement of cyclohexanone oxime in the gas phase in the presence of solid catalysts. The purification takes place by dissolving the crude lactam in benzene or in alkyl benzene with seven to eight carbon atoms and recrystallization whilst cooling.
Abstract:
A process for the recovery of lactams from a Beckmann rearrangement mixture of lactams and sulphuric acid or sulphur trioxide, with the production of a phosphate-containing fertilizer is disclosed. The Beckmann rearrangement mixture is partially neutralized by the addition of ammonium or alkali metal hydroxide, sulphate or carbonate in an amount such that the molar ratio between the sulphate formed and the sum of the sulphate formed and the free sulphuric acid is at least 1/8:1. Thereafter, the resulting partially neutralized solution is extracted by a substantially water-immiscible, organic lactam solvent to separate lactam from the remainder of said mixture, and the remainder of said mixture after such extraction is used for the decomposition of rock phosphate with formation of gypsum and of a free phosphoric acid-containing solution. This latter solution, after removal of gypsum and neutralization of the solution with ammonia or alkali liquor is converted into a dihydrogen phosphate-containing solution from which dihydrogen phosphate, suitable for use in fertilizers, is recovered after evaporative concentration. The process provides for the ready separation of lactams from a Beckmann rearrangement reaction mixture, while at the same time producing, as a by-product, dihydrogen phosphate or a valuable dihydrogen phosphate containing fertilizer.