Process for the preparation of tertiary alcohols by the hydration of tertiary olefins in a reactive rectification using a structured multi-purpose packing

Abstract

Tertiary alcohols can be prepared by the hydration of tertiary olefins having the same number of carbon atoms on an acidic ion exchanger using special structured multi-purpose packings for heterogeneous reactive rectification. An excellent yield and purity of the alcohol and an extended service life of the catalyst are achieved.

1 . A process for the preparation of tertiary alcohols by reacting the corresponding tertiary olefins having the same number of carbon atoms with water in a heterogeneous reactive rectification in the presence of an acidic cation exchanger, characterized in that said process is performed using structured catalytic multi-purpose packings which have sections serving for material separation and sections serving as second functionality elements, wherein said sections serving as second functionality elements have a compartmental structure in which said acidic cation exchanger is contained.  
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1  for the preparation of tertiary C 4  to C 8  alcohols, preferably C 5 , C 6  or C 7  alcohols, especially tertiary amyl alcohol, by reacting the corresponding tertiary olefins having the same number of carbon atoms, especially isoamylene.  
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that sulfonated phenol-formaldehyde resins, sulfonated cumarone-indene condensation products, sulfonated polystyrenes or sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene resins in their respective H +  forms are employed as acidic cation exchangers.  
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 3 , characterized in that sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene resins having a degree of cross-linking (divinylbenzene content) of from 2 to 65% by weight, preferably from 8 to 25% by weight, are employed.  
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the acidic cation exchangers are loaded with such an amount of total feed mixture of tertiary olefin and water that a liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) of 0.05-1 l of feed mixture per liter of catalyst per hour, preferably 0.1-0.4 l of feed mixture per liter of catalyst per hour, is achieved.  
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the amount of water employed is superstoichiometric, equimolar or substoichiometric, based on the tertiary olefin employed.  
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 6 , characterized in that an excess of water of from 10 to 90 mole percent, more preferably of from 30 to 70 mole percent, is employed.  
     
     
         8 . The process according to claims  2  or  7 , characterized in that an excess of water of from 40 to 50 mole percent, based on the isoamylene employed, is used for the preparation of tertiary amyl alcohol from isoamylene and water.  
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the structured multi-purpose packings contains material separation elements ( 1 ) and second functionality elements ( 2 ) provided in alternate layers, wherein the material separation elements have a profiled surface, and each of the second functionality elements has two or more closed chambers ( 3 ) provided on top of each other and filled with the acidic cation exchanger, a space being provided between any two of the chambers, which space is bridged by a section ( 6 ) conducting a liquid, the walls of the preferably pillow-shaped chambers of the second functionality elements being constituted of metal-wire cloth.