OLEFIN EPOXIDATION METHOD WITH IMPROVED ENERGY BALANCE Russian patent published in 2009 - IPC C07D301/12 C07D301/32 

FIELD: chemistry.

SUBSTANCE: present invention relates to an olefin epoxidation method, which involves: (a) reacting olefin with hydrogen peroxide on a titanium zeolite catalyst in the presence of methanol as a solvent, at least, in a two-step reaction, obtaining a mixture (M-a), containing olefin oxide, unreacted olefin, methanol and water, where, at least, between the two reaction steps, olefin oxide is separated by distillation; (b) separation of unreacted olefin from mixture (M-a) through distillation, obtaining a mixture (M-bi) which contains at least 80 wt % olefin and a mixture (M-bii), containing methanol, water and, at least, 7 wt % olefin oxide; (c) separation of olefin oxide from mixture (M-bii), in at least a single distillation step, obtaining a mixture (M-ci) which contains at least 99 wt % olefin oxide, and a mixture (M-cii) which contains water and at least 55 wt % methanol; (d) separation of methanol from mixture (M-cii) in at least a single distillation step, obtaining a mixture (M-di), containing at least 85 wt % methanol and up to 10 wt % water, and a mixture (M-dii), containing at least 90 wt % water; containing at least 85 wt % methanol, upper vapour flow (Td), obtained from at least a single distillation column, used in step (d), used for at least partial operation of at least one evaporator, used in at least one distillation column, used in at least one of the stages (a), (b) and (c).

EFFECT: design of a highly integrated method of producing olefin oxide, in which at least three steps of the entire process enable minimisation of energy consumption.

22 cl, 5 ex