Granted Patent B2

US 8,080,678 · App. 12/798,297 · Granted Dec 20, 2011

Abstract

Claims (11)

1. A method of purifying propylene oxide containing 25-100 ppm aldehydes which comprises contacting the propylene oxide in the liquid phase with a benzyl amine-functionalized ion exchange resin, and recovering a purified propylene oxide product having 10 ppm, or less, aldehydes content.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the aldehydes comprise acetaldehyde and propionaldehyde.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the amine-functionalized ion exchange resin has a surface area in the range of 400 to 1500 m 2 /g.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the propylene oxide is produced by the reaction of propylene and an organic hydroperoxide.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the organic hydroperoxide is ethyl benzene hydroperoxide, t-butyl hydroperoxide, or cumene hydroperoxide.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the propylene oxide contains 25-50 ppm aldehydes.

7. A method which comprises reacting propylene and an organic hydroperoxide to produce a crude propylene oxide effluent, distilling the crude propylene oxide effluent to produce a propylene oxide stream containing 25-100 ppm aldehydes, contacting the propylene stream in the liquid phase with a benzyl amine-functionalized ion exchange resin, and recovering a purified propylene oxide product having 10 ppm, or less, aldehydes content.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the organic hydroperoxide is ethyl benzene hydroperoxide, t-butyl hydroperoxide, or cumene hydroperoxide.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the aldehydes comprise acetaldehyde and propionaldehyde.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the amine-functionalized ion exchange resin has a surface area in the range of 400 to 1500 m 2 /g.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the propylene oxide stream contains 25-50 ppm aldehydes.

Assignments (10)