Processes for producing caprolactam and derivatives thereof from fermentation broths containing diammonium adipate or monoammonium adipate

摘要

Processes for producing caprolactam (CL) and derivatives thereof from adipic acid (AA) obtained from fermentation broths containing diammonium adipate (DAA) or monoammonium adipate (MAA).

主权项

1. A process for producing CL from a clarified DAA-containing fermentation broth or MAA-containing fermentation broth comprising:
(a) distilling the broth under greater than ambient pressure at a temperature of >100° C. to about 300° C. to form an overhead that comprises water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that comprises AA and at least about 20 wt % water; (b) cooling and/or evaporating the bottoms to attain a temperature and composition sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a liquid portion and a solid portion that is substantially pure AA; (c) separating the solid portion from the liquid portion; and (d) contacting at least a part of the solid portion with hydrogen, optionally in the presence of a solvent, in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst and an ammonia source, at a temperature of about 25° C. to about 500° C. and a pressure of about 0.5 to about 40 MPa to produce the CL.