Claims
- 1. A process for producing n-butyraldehyde having reduced contaminants for use in producing 2-ethylhexanol having a reduced concentration of 2-ethyl-4-methyl pentanol, comprising introducing a crude n-/iso-butyraldehyde mixture comprising n-butyraldehyde and as a contaminant, isobutyraldehyde, complexes of isobutyraldehyde, oligomers of isobutyraldehyde and mixtures thereof in a distillation column, and introducing from about 0.05 to about 2 wt. %, based on the crude n-/iso-butyraldehyde mixture, of water effective to hydrolyze the oligomeric contaminants to the monomeric form of isobutyraldehyde during distillation, and then distilling this mixture in a distillation zone at a temperature and for a residence time sufficient to hydrolyze the oligomeric contaminants to and then distill substantially all of the isobutyraldehyde overhead.
- 2. A process according to claim 1, in which the water is present in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 1.5 wt. %.
- 3. A process according to claim 1, in which the n-butyraldehyde mixture is distilled at a head temperature in the range of from about 70.degree. to about 90.degree. C.
- 4. A multi-stage continuous process for producing 2-ethylhexanol having a reduced concentration of 2-ethyl-4-methyl pentanol, comprising:
- (a) in a first stage, introducing a crude n-/iso-butyraldehyde mixture comprising n-butyraldehyde and as a contaminant, isobutyraldehyde, complexes of isobutyraldehyde, oligomers of isobutyraldehyde and mixtures thereof in a distillation column, and introducing from about 0.05 to about 2 wt. %, based on the crude n-/iso-butyraldehyde mixture, of water effective to hydrolyze the oligomeric contaminants to the monomeric form of isobutyraldehyde during distillation thereby reducing the amount of isobutyraldehyde which reacts to form 2-ethyl-4-pentenal during the second stage and subsequent hydrogenation of the 2-ethyl-4-ethyl-4-methyl pentanol during the third stage, and then distilling this mixture in a distillation zone at a temperature and for a residence time sufficient to hydrolyze the oligomeric contaminants to and then distill substantially all of the isobutyraldehyde overhead.
- 5. A process according to claim 4, including a fourth stage in which the 2-ethylhexanol is distilled.
- 6. A process according to claim 4, in which the water in the first stage is added in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 1.5 wt. %.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 07/656,544 filed on Feb. 15, 1991, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1202326 |
Mar 1986 |
CAX |
988804 |
Jan 1983 |
SUX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
656544 |
Feb 1991 |
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