PROPYLENE EPOXIDATION PROCESS Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC C07D301/12 C07D303/04 

FIELD: industrial organic synthesis.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to technology of epoxidation of unsaturated compounds with hydrogen peroxide, in particular to production of propylene oxide and propylene glycol. Epoxidation is conducted in presence of organic solvent and catalytically active compound including zeolite catalyst. Product mixture contains propylene oxide, unreacted propylene, and α-hydroperoxypropanols, which are reduced with hydrogen into corresponding propylene glycols. As organic solvent, alcohols, preferably methanol, or their mixtures with water are used. Propylene oxide as well as unreacted propylene and solvent are separated by distillation at column vat temperature below 80°C and residence time less than 4 h. Hydrogenation catalyst is selected from group comprising heterogeneous catalysts containing as active metal Ru, Ni, Co, Pd, and Pt, individually or as two- or more-component mixture on suitable carrier.

EFFECT: enabled processing of hydroxyperoxyalcohol, epoxidation reaction by-product, into glycols so improving economical characteristics of the process.

15 cl, 3 ex