GB342022A - Improvements in the manufacture and production of alkylene derivatives from alkylene oxides - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0342022/IV/1> Hydroxyalkyl compounds are prepared in the absence of a catalyst by leading a mixture of an alkylene oxide with water or an organic hydroxyl or carboxyl compound e.g. an alcohol, phenol, or carboxylic acid, continously through a reaction tower, which may be enamelled, where it is immediately heated to a high temperature usually above 130 DEG C., the product being freed from unchanged materials, preferably in a continuous manner. It is also preferred to use the hydroxyl or carboxyl compound in excess. Only small amounts of alkylene oxide are brought into reaction at any one time. After separation from the product, the unchanged portion of the component used in excess may be used again. The process is usually carried out at pressures between 5 and 30 or more atmospheres. The heat of reaction may be used for p preheating fresh initial material or for the separation of the products. In the apparatus shown, a pump 1 forces the reacting materials through a heat exchanger 4, whence the mixture passes by a pipe 10 to a pressure-tight cylindrical reaction vessel 7, which contains a heating coil 6, 61 and is provided with thermometric devices 8, 81. The mixture is then passed via the pipe 5 to the heating coil of the heat-exchanger and is withdrawn for separation of the product through the pipe 9. In the examples (1) a mixture of one molecular proportion of ethylene oxide and 2 of ethyl alcohol is heated to 180 DEG C., a pressure of 30 atmospheres being attained. The product, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, is freed from excess of ethyl alcohol by distillation. (2) Propylene glycol monomethyl ether (CH3-O-CH2-CHOH-CH3) is obtained from 1,2 propylene oxide and methanol. (3) Ethylene glycol is obtained from ethylene oxide and water. (4) Ethylene glycol monoacetate is obtained from ethylene oxide and glacial acetic acid. The reaction tower used is enamelled. (5) Ethylene glycol monophenyl ether is obtained from ethylene glycol and phenol. (6) The methyl ether of o -chloropropylene glycol is obtained from methanol and epichlorhydrin.