PROCESS FOR THE CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF NEOPENTYL GLYCOL

摘要

A neopentyl glycol having a purity of 98 % or more is produced continuously by a process comprising the steps of: conducting an aldol condensation of isobutyraldehyde with an aqueous formaldehyde solution containing methanol in an amount of 0.1 to 15 wt.% in the presence of a tertiary alkylamine catalyst; extracting the condensation product mixture with octanol; distilling the extract; hydrogenating the distillation product; extracting the hydrogenation product mixture with water; and subjecting the extract to distillation.