Process for the manufacture of very pure epsilon -caprolactone

摘要

The invention relates to a process for the production of epsilon -caprolactone having a purity of 99.9% and increased color and storage stability which comprises feeding epsilon -caprolactone, which has been made by reacting cyclohexanone with a solution of a percarboxylic acid, into a first distillation unit, operating at 0.1 to 500 mbars and drawing off as the top product a mixture consisting of epsilon -caprolactone and lower-boiling impurities, feeding the bottom product of said first distillation unit into a second distillation unit, operating at 0.1 to 500 mbars and then drawing off the pure epsilon -caprolactone as the top product. The epsilon -caprolactone is useful as an intermediate for the production of known useful compounds such as polyesterols which are subsequently converted to polyurethanes.