PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF METHYL ACETATE

摘要

A process for preparing methyl acetate of high purity at high reactant conversions. In this process glacial acetic acid is reacted with methanol to form methyl acetate and it is also used as an extractive agent for water and/or methanol. The glacial acetic acid is continuously reacted with at least a stoichiometric amount of methanol in a reaction zone in the presence of an acidic catalyst. A methyl acetate stream is continuously removed from the zone by distillation. The glacial acetic acid and methanol are countercurrently flowed into the reaction zone and the residence time of the reacting liquids in the zone is selected to permit the glacial acetic acid to function as an extractive agent for water and/or methanol. In operation, there is intimate contact between the glacial acetic acid and the methanol and also between the acid and azeotropes (methyl acetate/water and methyl acetate/methanol azeotropes) which form in the reaction zone. Such azeotropes are "broken" by extraction with the glacial acetic acid and also by the reaction of such acid with methanol in the methyl acetate/methanol azeotropes.