| 摘要 |
PCT No. PCT/GB97/01285 Sec. 371 Date Nov. 12, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Nov. 12, 1998 PCT Filed May 12, 1997 PCT Pub. No. WO97/43242 PCT Pub. Date Nov. 20, 1997A process for the production of at least one C4 compound selected from butane-1,4-diol, gamma -butyrolactone and tetrahydrofuran comprises contacting a vaporous stream containing maleic anhydride vapour, water vapour, and carbon oxides in an absorption zone with a high boiling organic solvent thereby to form a solution of maleic anhydride in the high boiling organic solvent. Maleic anhydride in this solution is reacted under esterification conditions in an esterification zone with a C1 to C4 alkanol to form a solution of the corresponding di-(C1 to C4 alkyl) maleate in the high boiling solvent. This solution of the di-(C1 to C4 alkyl) maleate in the high boiling solvent is contacted with a gaseous stream containing hydrogen thereby to strip di-(C1 to C4 alkyl) maleate therefrom and to form a vaporous stream comprising hydrogen and di-(C1 to C4 alkyl) maleate. Material of this vaporous stream is contacted in a hydrogenation zone under ester hydrogenation conditions in the presence of a heterogeneous ester hydrogenation catalyst thereby to convert di-(C1 to C4 alkyl) maleate to at least one C4 compound selected from butane-1,4-diol, gamma -butyrolactone and tetrahydrofuran which is recovered from the hydrogenation zone in the resulting product stream. The high boiling solvent has a boiling point at atmospheric pressure that is at least about 30 DEG C. higher than that of the di-(C1 to C4 alkyl) maleate. |
