Claims
- 1. An apparatus for conducting a process comprising catalytically reacting at least one organic compound in a liquid organic phase in the presence of a polar liquid phase containing a non-aqueous ionic medium, which is sufficiently immiscible with the organic phase that the polar and organic phases can be separated by decanting, and a catalyst, wherein the apparatus comprises:at least first and second treatment loops connected in series for circulating the liquid organic phase and the polar liquid phase in counter-current liquid contact, each of the first and second treatment loops comprising: at least one reaction zone for containing a reaction medium of the liquid organic and polar liquid phases in contact and connected to each reaction zone, at least one separation zone for separating the organic and polar liquid phases by decanting, at least one conduit for introducing the organic compound into the reaction zone of the first treatment loop, at least one conduit for introducing the polar liquid phase into the reaction zone of the second treatment loop, at least one conduit for supplying the polar liquid phase separated in the separation zone of the second treatment loop to the reaction zone of the first treatment loop, at least one conduit for supplying the organic phase separated in the separation zone of the first treatment loop to the reaction zone of the second treatment loop, at least one conduit for withdrawing the organic phase separated in the separation zone of the second treatment loop, and at least one conduit for withdrawing the polar liquid phase separated in the separation zone of the first treatment loop.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises:more than two treatment loops.
- 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the polar liquid phase comprises at least a portion of the catalyst.
- 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the catalyst comprises at least one transition element compound.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a conduit for withdrawing a portion of the reaction medium from one part of the reaction zone of the second treatment loop and re-introducing it into said same reaction zone.
- 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the conduit for withdrawing a portion of the reaction medium from one part of a reaction zone and re-introducing it, has a heat exchanger in operative association with it.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a conduit for withdrawing a portion of the reaction medium from one part of the reaction zone of the first treatment loop and re-introducing it into said same reaction zone.
- 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the conduit for withdrawing a portion of the reaction medium from one part of a reaction zone and re-introducing it, has a heat exchanger in operative association with it.
- 9. The process according to claim 1, in which at least a portion of the polar liquid phase withdrawn from the separation zone of the second treatment loop is recycled to the reaction zone of the second treatment loop.
- 10. The process according to claim 1, in which at least a portion of the polar liquid phase withdrawn from the separation zone of the first treatment loop is recycled to the reaction zone of the second treatment loop.
- 11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a conduit for introducing at least a portion of the catalyst to the reaction zone of the first treatment loop.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus consists of two treatment loops.
- 13. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a conduit for withdrawing a portion of the reaction medium from the reaction zone of the second treatment loop and re-introducing into that zone and means for cooling the reaction medium in said conduit before re-introducing.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
97 06571 |
May 1997 |
FR |
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Parent Case Info
This is a division, of application Ser. No. 09/084,353 filed May 27, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,284,937.
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