Process for preparation of 1,3-propanediol via hydrogenation of 3-hydroxypropanal

摘要

1,3-propanediol is prepared from 3-hydroxypropanal in a process comprising the steps of: (a) contacting, at a temperature within the range of about 50 DEG to about 100 DEG C. and a pressure within the range of about 500 to about 5000 psig, ethylene oxide with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in an essentially non-water-miscible solvent in the presence of an effective amount of a non-phosphine-ligated cobalt or rhodium catalyst and an effective amount of a catalyst promoter under reaction conditions effective to produce an intermediate product mixture comprising less than 15 wt % 3-hydroxypropanal; (b) adding an aqueous liquid to said intermediate product mixture and extracting into said aqueous liquid a major portion of the 3-hydroxypropanal at a temperature less than about 100 DEG C. so as to provide an aqueous phase comprising 3-hydroxypropanal in a concentration of at least about 20 wt %, and an organic phase comprising at least a portion of the cobalt or rhodium catalyst or a cobalt- or rhodium-containing derivative thereof; (c) separating the aqueous phase from the organic phase; (d) diluting the aqueous phase comprising 3-hydroxy-propanal with an aqueous liquid to form a 3-hydroxypropanal solution having a 3-hydroxypropanal concentration within the range of about 0.2 to about 15 weight percent; (e) passing said aqueous 3-hydroxypropanal solution to a hydrogenation zone and in contact with a fixed-bed hydrogenation catalyst under hydrogenation conditions for a time effective to form an aqueous solution comprising 1,3-propanediol; and (f) recovering said 1,3-propanediol.