VERBETERDE WERKWIJZE VOOR HET BEREIDEN VAN MEERWAARDIGE HYDROXYVERBINDINGEN.

摘要

Producing C2-6 polyhydric compounds by hydrolysing a lower carboxylate ester of said polyhydric compound with water in the presence of an acidic ion exchange resin catalyst and subjecting the hydrolysis product to a two-stage distillation in which firstly water and secondly carboxylic acid are separated as overheads and the polyhydric compound is recovered from the bottoms product of the second stage of the distillation, the second stage of the distillation being carried out in the substantial absence of acidic resin moieties. Traces of acidic resin may be removed from the hydrolysis product before distillation by treatment with a base or an anion-exchange resin, or in a prior flash distillation. Polyhydric compounds are for example ethylene glycol or propylene glycol.