Separation of alkenes from alkanes

摘要

An extractive distillation process for separating at least one C4-C10 alkene (monoolefin) from at least one close-boiling alkane (paraffin) employs as solvent a mixture of (a) at least one N-alkyl-2-pyrrolidone, preferably N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and either (b1) at least one sulfolane compound (preferably cyclotetramethylene sulfone) or (b2) at least one glycol compound (preferably tetraethylene glycol) or both (b1) and (b2).