METHOD OF PRODUCING PROPYLENE OXIDE Russian patent published in 2021 - IPC C07D301/12 C07D301/32 C07D303/04 

FIELD: chemical or physical processes.

SUBSTANCE: present invention relates to a method of producing propylene oxide, comprising: (i) providing a stream comprising propene, hydrogen peroxide or a hydrogen peroxide source, water and an organic solvent; (ii) passing a liquid stream of incoming material provided in step (i) into an epoxidation zone containing an epoxidation catalyst containing a titanium-based zeolite, and influencing liquid flow of incoming material by epoxidation reaction conditions in epoxidation zone, to obtain reaction mixture containing propene, propylene oxide, water and organic solvent; (iii) removing effluent from the epoxidation zone, wherein the effluent stream contains propylene oxide, water, an organic solvent, and propene; (iv) separating propene from effluent by distillation, comprising (iv.1) exposing the effluent to distillation conditions in a distillation unit to produce gaseous overhead stream S0 enriched with propene, compared to the effluent stream, subjected to conditions of distillation, and liquid bottom stream S01, enriched with propylene oxide, water and organic solvent, compared to effluent undergoing distillation conditions; (iv.2) returning condensed portion of stream S0 to upper part of distillation unit.

EFFECT: disclosed method allows to substantially avoid both decomposition of propylene oxide in the settling tank and losses of propylene oxide removed from above, and also reduces power consumption for separation of propylene oxide and propene.

15 cl, 7 ex, 3 dwg