Esterification of carboxylic acid with alcohol, using condensation column attached to reactor to provide quantitative removal of water of reaction and conversion

摘要

Esterification of carboxylic acid and alcohol comprises removing water from reaction system using inert gas and/or reduced pressure. Vapor is fed to condensation column with small number of theoretical plates. Water vapor is separated from high boilers and recycled to reactor. Remaining water vapor is completely condensed outside column without separation of organic phase. In the esterification of carboxylic acids with alcohols, where the starting materials having a high difference in boiling point from that of water under normal conditions and the water of reaction is removed from the system using inert gas and/or reduced pressure, the vapor formed (comprising water, organic reactants and possibly inert gas) is supplied to a condensation column having a small number of theoretical plates, attached to the reactor. The water vapor is separated from the high boilers (which are recycled to the reactor) and the remaining water vapor is completely condensed outside the column, without separation of an organic phase. An Independent claim is included for apparatus for the process, consisting of at least one esterification reactor and a distillation device, where the esterification reactor includes a heatable condensation column having a small number of theoretical plates and the distillation device is attached to the head of the condensation column.