Preparation of Oxides, Glycols and Polyglycols from Lower Olefines. I.

Preparation of Ethylene Oxide and Ethylene Glycol

Abstract

The authors contemplated to find optimum conditions to manufacture ethylene oxide and glycol by the chlorohydrine method. It was found that high yield of ethylenechlorohydrine was obtainable in circulating type reaction column, whereby violenter agitation promotes higher yield when 20% excess of ethylene was introduced. Further investigations were made to establish direct chlorination condition with result in high yield, by using untreated gaseous chlorine generated by electrolysis of brine. When a horizontal type reactor and same type of providing nets at the bottom were employed, by using calcium hydroxide as dehydrochloric acid, optimum conditions on holding time, amount of blow-in steam and temperature at the outlet of dephlegmeter were also investigated and decided. Both catalytic and high pressure process manufacturing ethylene glycol were investigated and optimum conditions for molecular ratio of water to ethylene oxide, temperature, time, pressure and neutralization of catalyst were decided.