Process for synthesizing selected organic peroxides

1. Process for the continuous preparation of one or more organic peroxides selected from the group consisting of peroxydicarbonates, peroxyesters, diacylperoxides, hydroperoxides, diperoxyketals, dialkyl peroxides and ketone peroxides comprising introducing a reaction flow at a flow rate ranging from 0.1 l/h to 5000 l/h into a closed plate exchanger, adding through at least 2 inlet points reactants into the reaction flow, tempering the reaction flow to a temperature within the range of from about 0 to about 100° C., and reacting the reactants with the reaction flow to form said one or more organic peroxides, wherein the reaction flow and reactants are selected based on the one or more organic peroxides which are selected.

2. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the reaction flow is within the range of from about 5 to about 60° C.

3. Process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the plate exchanger comprises at least 3 inlet points.

4. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the process comprises releasing pressure when the pressure exceeds a given value allowing the plates of the plate exchanger to move apart by the aid of a separating device for separating the plates.

5. Process according to claim 4 , characterized in that the said separating device is selected from nut-bolt systems that deform plastically beyond a certain pressure; nut-bolt systems assembled with springs that compress if the pressure in the reactor exceeds a given value; or nut-bolt systems assembled with elastic washers, of Belleville washer type, such that the plates separate by a given distance if the pressure exceeds a defined value.

6. Process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the reactions carried out are liquid/liquid reactions.

7. Process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the pressure in the exchanger varies in the range of from 0 to 5 bar.

8. Process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the reaction is carried out in basic medium at a pH ≧9 or in acidic medium at a pH ≦2.

9. Process according to claim 1 , characterized in that a reaction mixture derived from the plate exchanger containing the one or more organic peroxides is subjected to a subsequent separation/washing step in a continuous separation unit.

10. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the closed plate exchanger has at least a first plate and one or more subsequent plates and the process comprises:

adding into the reaction flow one or more base reactants through a first inlet point at the first plate and a second reactant through a second inlet point at the first plate to form an intermediate salt, wherein the second reactant is an alkyl hydroperoxide or hydrogen peroxide,

adding into the reaction flow a chlorinated acylating agent reactant through a first inlet point at the one or more subsequent plates to react with the intermediate salt in the reaction flow to form said one or more organic peroxides.

11. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the closed plate exchanger has at least a first plate and one or more subsequent plates and wherein the process comprises:

adding into the reaction flow one or more acid reactants through a first inlet point at the first plate and a second reactant through a second inlet point at the first plate, wherein the second reactant is an alcohol or olefin; and

adding into the reaction flow a hydrogen peroxide reactant through a first inlet point at the one or more subsequent plates to form said one or more organic peroxides.

12. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the process comprises:

adding into the reaction flow, in the presence of an acid reactant, a ketone reactant and an alkyl hydroperoxide reactant to form said one or more organic peroxides.

13. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more organic peroxides are selected from the group consisting of di(n-propyl)peroxydicarbonate, di(sec-butyl)peroxy-dicarbonate, di(2-ethylhexyl)peroxydicarbonate, 1,1-dimethyl-3-hydroxybutyl peroxyneodecanoate, α-cumyl peroxyneodecanoate, α-cumyl peroxyneoheptanoate, tert-amyl peroxyneodecanoate, tert-butyl peroxyneodecanoate, tert-amyl peroxypivalate, tert-butyl peroxypivalate, 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(2-ethylhexanoylperoxy)hexane, tert-amyl peroxy-2-ethylhexanoate, tert-butyl peroxy-2-ethylhexanoate, tert-amyl peroxyacetate, tert-butyl peroxyacetate, tert-amyl perbenzoate, tert-butyl perbenzoate, OO-tert-amyl-O(2-ethylhexyl) monoperoxy-carbonate, OO-tert-butyl-O-isopropyl monoperoxy-carbonate, OO-tert-butyl 1-(2-ethylhexyl)monoperoxy-carbonate poly(tert-butyl peroxycarbonate)polyether, decanoyl peroxide, lauroyl peroxide, succinic acid peroxide, benzoyl peroxide, 1,1-di(tert-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane, 1,1-di(tert-butylperoxy)-cyclohexane, 1,1-di(tert-amylperoxy)cyclohexane, n-butyl 4,4-di(tert-butylperoxy)valerate, ethyl 3,3-di(tert-amylperoxy)butyrate, tert-butyl peroctoate, ethyl 3,3-di(tert-butylperoxy)butyrate, cumene hydro-peroxide, and tert-butyl hydroperoxide, and mixtures thereof.