Claims
- 1. A process for the removal of sulfur from an acrylate reaction product stream comprising:
- (a) contacting in a reactor (meth)acrylic acid with an alcohol in the presence of a sulfonic acid catalyst and solvent to form a reaction mixture containing the corresponding ester reaction product, water, solvent, and residue byproducts;
- (b) directing the reaction mixture to a decanter and allowing the reaction mixture of (a) sufficient time to form a two phase system comprising as phase (1) acid catalyst/water, and as phase (2) reaction product, acrylic ester, solvent, heavy ends, and oligomers; and,
- (c) recycling phase (1) of (b) containing acid catalyst to the reactor of (a).
- 2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the acid catalyst is selected from the group consisting of methanesulfonic acid, benzenesulfonic acid, toluenesulfonic acid and xylenesulfonic acid.
- 3. The process according to claim 2, wherein the acid is methanesulfonic acid.
- 4. The process of claim 1 wherein water is added to the reaction mixture to enhance phasing.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/962,426 filed Oct. 31, 1997 now abandoned.
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
962426 |
Oct 1997 |
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