Claims
- 1. An improved process for producing cumene hydroperoxide by oxidation of cumene in a water-alkaline emulsion which produces organic acids as undesired byproducts wherein the improvement comprises injecting NH.sub.3 in an amount at least stoichiometric to the amount of byproduct organic acids.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the NH.sub.3 is injected into an aqueous sodium carbonate solution and forms NH.sub.4 NaCO.sub.3.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein the level of organic acid salts formed is determined by ion exclusion chromatograph.
- 4. The process of claim 1 wherein the oxidation is in a first and second stage.
- 5. The process of claim 2 wherein about 10 to about 18 percent by weight of the cumene is converted in the first stage.
- 6. The process of claim 4 wherein fresh aqueous Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3 is fed only into the second stage.
- 7. The process of claim 6 wherein the fresh aqueous Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3 is fed countercurrent to the oxidate stream.
- 8. The process of claim 7 wherein water is added along with the fresh aqueous Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3.
- 9. The process of claim 4 wherein the NH.sub.3 is injected into a recycle aqueous stream from the second stage.
- 10. The process of claim 4 wherein the NH.sub.3 is injected into recycle aqueous streams from both the first and second stages.
- 11. The process of claim 9 wherein the pH of the recycle aqueous stream is controlled between about 10 and about 12.
- 12. The method of claim 4 wherein an aqueous NH.sub.4 NaCO.sub.3 is obtained by adding ammonium hydroxide to neutralized acid by-products of the second stage.
- 13. The method of claim 1 wherein the oxidation is conducted in oxidizer vessels and the NH.sub.3 is injected directly into the oxidizer vessels.
Parent Case Info
This application is a division of Application Ser. No. 08/670,304 filed Jun. 27, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,322.
US Referenced Citations (1)
| Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
|
5767322 |
Zakoshansky |
Jun 1998 |
|
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
670304 |
Jun 1996 |
|