PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF CYCLIC OLEFINS

摘要

A process for the production of cyclic olefins each having two or more cyclohexene rings in the molecule by intramolecular dehydration of an alicyclic alcohol having two or more hydroxylated cyclohexane rings in the molecule, which comprises the step (i) of dehydrating the alicyclic alcohol by heating at 130 to 230°C in an organic solvent under a pressure exceeding 20Torr in the presence of a dehydration catalyst which is liquid or soluble in a reaction fluid under the reaction conditions while distilling away by-product water and the subsequent step (ii) of heating the resulting reaction mixture at 50 to 220°C under a pressure of 200Torr or below to recover the cyclic olefin as a distillate. According to the process, side reactions such as isomerization can be inhibited and high-purity cyclic olefins lowered in the content of impurities can be easily and efficiently obtained in high yield.