Process for continuously producing dimethyl carbonate.

摘要

A process for producing dimethyl carbonate is carried out by a first step of catalytically reacting carbon monoxide with methyl nitrite to produce dimethyl carbonate; a second step of absorbing dimethyl carbonate contained in a gas fraction withdrawn from the first step by dimethyl oxalate; a third step of regenerating methyl nitrite by contacting nitrogen monoxide contained in a gas fraction withdrawn from the second step with a molecular oxygen-containing gas and methyl alcohol; a fourth step of collecting dimethyl carbonate by distilling a liquid fraction withdrawn from the second step; and a fifth step of producing and recovering methyl nitrite from a purge gas consisting of a minor portion of a gas fraction withdrawn from one of the second step and the third step by bringing the purge gas together with an ammonia-oxidation product gas into contact with methyl alcohol in a methyl nitrite-recovering column, to thereby produce and recover methyl nitrite contained in the recovering column with a high efficiency at a high level of safety. <IMAGE>