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 n-butyraldehyde 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.