PROCESS IMPROVEMENT TO PRODUCE LOW COLOR TRIMETHYLOLPROPANE

摘要

Disclosed is a process for acquiring crude trimethylolpropane (TMP) of low reacted color. TMP is generally prepared by the condensation of nbutyraldehyde and formaldehyde in an alkali solution. The mixture is then concentrated and placed through an extractor. It has been found that a high concentration of low color TMP is present in the extractor and may be obtained by taking a slip stream of hot organic/water/TMP from the extractor and allowing the mixture to cool and phase separate. Upon separation of the phases, TMP generally having an acid wash color of about or less than 5 GU is recovered from the water phase. Disclosed is use of a single and multistage extractor.