METHOD OF RECOVERING ACIDS FROM HYDROCARBON MIXTURES Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: industrial organic synthesis. SUBSTANCE: invention relates to isolation of high-purity carboxylic acids or their methyl esters, which can be used in a variety of purification and separation processes, and to recovery of carboxylic acids from various colored hydrocarbon media: crude oils, petroleum products, organic material dispersed in rocks, etc. Methyl esters are isolated from hydrocarbon mixtures via chromatographic separation on potassium silicate-modified silica gel followed by elution with organic solvents, said elution being conducted consecutively with diethyl ether, ethanol/toluene mixture, and then 3% (v/v) acetic acid. Acid concentrate is separated on activated silica gel using eluent mixture hexane/dichloroethane/ethyl acetate/ethanol (volume ratio 80/1/1/4) and collecting last colored zone. The latter is treated with benzene solution of diazomethane, reseparated on activated silica gel using the same eluent mixture and next to last colored zone is then collected. EFFECT: expanded hydrocarbon purification possibilities. 2 tbl, 2 ex