STYRENE PRODUCTION PROCESS Russian patent published in 2007 - IPC C07C5/333 C07C15/46 

FIELD: industrial organic synthesis.

SUBSTANCE: ethylbenzene blend obtained through blending fresh ethylbenzene and recycled ethylbenzene with styrene content not above 0.1 wt % is subjected to catalytic dehydrogenation in presence of water steam at feed-to-steam weight ratio 1:2, temperature 600°C, ethylbenzene blend supply space velocity 0.5-1.0 h^-1, and reactor pressure maintained within a range of 45 to 80 kPa absolute. Multistep rectification gives rectified styrene with concentration of desired product at least 99.8% and phenylacetylene impurity level not higher than 0.01 wt %. Recycled ethylbenzene is blended with fresh ethylbenzene and resulting ethylbenzene blend containing no more than 0.1 wt % styrene is supplied to dehydrogenation unit.

EFFECT: increased ethylbenzene-to-styrene conversion, improved process selectivity, and reduced level of phenylacetylene in commercial product.

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