Abstract:
A process for the recovery of 2-pyrrolidone from the aqueous reaction product obtained in the preparation of 2-pyrrolidone from the hydrogenation of succinonitrile and subsequent reaction with water of the hydrogenation product thus obtained. The aqueous reaction mixture is adjusted to a pH value of 7 or lower and extracted with chloroform or methylene chloride to form an organic phase containing substantially all of the 2-pyrrolidone. The 2-pyrrolidone can be recovered from the organic phase by distillation, or by further extraction with water followed by crystallization from the aqueous phase thus formed or by evaporation of water.
Abstract:
There is described a process for the purification of caprolactam from the idable impurities present therein, by means of a treatment with an oxidizing agent consisting of ozone, the process comprising the steps of dissolving the polluted caprolactam into a solvent inert to ozone, such as water, and of causing the ozone to bubble through the resulting solution, the concentration of the caprolactam in the solution being preferably comprised between about 40% and 78% by weight of caprolactam, and the treatment being preferably effected at a temperature between the freezing temperature of the solution and 70.degree. C.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a process for separating 11-cyanoundecanoic acid, cyclohexanone and .epsilon.-caprolactam from a pyrolysis product obtained by pyrolyzing 1,1'-peroxydicyclohexylamine in the presence of steam at a temperature of 300.degree. to 1,000.degree. C. The pyrolysis product is first contacted with a mixture comprised of aqueous ammonia and at least one organic solvent selected from benzene, toluene and xylene, and the so prepared liquid is separated into the oily layer and the aqueous layer. On one hand, the oily layer is distilled to separate cyclohexanone therefrom. On the other hand, the aqueous layer is acidified to a pH of below 4.0 by adding thereto a mineral acid and maintained at a temperature of 40.degree. to 100.degree. C. to separate crude 11-cyanoundecanoic acid in molten form from the aqueous layer, and then, the separated crude molten 11-cyanoundecanoic acid is washed with hot water to extract .epsilon.-caprolactam therefrom.
Abstract:
In a process for the continuous extraction of caprolactam from crude lactam by means of benzene in counter-current, in which crude lactam is fed into the upper part of an extraction zone and benzene into the lower part, a solution of caprolactam in benzene is taken off at the top and an aqueous solution containing impurities is taken off at the bottom, the improvement that water is additionally fed into the upper part of the extraction zone and a part of the aqueous solution, containing impurities, obtained at the bottom of the extraction zone is recycled into the extraction zone. Caprolactam is used for the manufacture of nylon.
Abstract:
Process for the removal of residues of solvent from crystallized .epsilon.-caprolactam, wherein the major quantity of solvent is removed in a first stage by distillation in the presence of water in an amount so that the water content of the residue of the first stage is from 0.5 to 6% by weight, and in a second stage by distilling water and any residues of solvent still present.
Abstract:
2-Pyrrolidone is continuously polymerized to a high-molecular-weight particulate product by the stirred polymerization of the carbonated alkaline polymerizate. The polymerizate is prepared by contacting an aqueous hydroxide with excess 2-pyrrolidone, maintaining the resultant alkaline mixture at an elevated temperature for sufficient time to reduce the 2-pyrrolidone dimer content of the mixture to within the desired limits, dehydrating the alkaline mixture to reduce the water content to within the desired limits, and contacting the alkaline mixture with carbon dioxide to form the carbonated alkaline polymerizate. The paste of particular polypyrrolidone and liquid polymerizate is continuously withdrawn from the reactor, neutralized with aqueous acid and washed with warm water.
Abstract:
A process for the continuous recovery of caprolactam from either solid polycaprolactam waste by depolymerization or from liquid polycaprolactam extraction water from an extraction zone where, in either instance, a caprolactam water vapor mixture is produced and subsequently upgraded in a distillation zone to provide a dilute mixture of caprolactam and water vapor. A minor portion of this dilute caprolactam water vapor is condensed and recycled to the distillation zone. The remaining, major portion of this mixture is compressed and admixed with fresh steam, superheated and passed to either the extraction zone or depolymerization reaction.
Abstract:
A two-stage evaporative method for recovering polymerizable 2-pyrrolidone from alkaline aqueous solutions such as those obtained by washing the catalyst from an incompletely reacted polypyrrolidone polymerizate, includes the steps of neutralizing the base with mineral acid, removing most of the water in an initial reduced pressure evaporation and recovering the pyrrolidone from a salt/pyrrolidone slurry by vaporization under reduced pressure.
Abstract:
A process for recovering substantially pure .epsilon.-caprolactam from a contaminated solution thereof is disclosed by concentrating, if needed, the caprolactam content of the solution to about 60-75 weight percent then extracting the concentrated solution with an organic solvent such as benzene or the like, then recovering the resulting caprolactam-laden organic solution.