Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A distillation process is used to separate methanol from a mixture of methanol with methyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate, as well as from a mixture of methanol and water with methyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate with the use of an azeotropic solvent, which forms an azeotropic mixture with methanol. In distilling such a mixture by the use of a distillation column: (1) part of the condensate of vapors distilled over from the top of the distillation column top is returned to the top of the column; (2) the remaining condensate is separated into two layers; (3) the upper layer essentially composed of an azeotropic solvent from the two separated layers is fed to an intermediate portion of the distillation column; (4) the lower layer essentially composed of methanol from the above two separated layers is withdrawn from the distillation system; and (5) methyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate, or else, methyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate and water, are recovered from the bottom of the column. Water may be added to the remaining condensate at the time of separation into two layers. The amount of water added is 0.1-10 times the weight of methanol.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim