Methanol → Propylene Glycol

Reaction equation

[CH3:1][O-:2].[Na+].[CH2:4]([OH:8])[CH:5]([OH:7])[CH3:6].[CH3:9][OH:10].CO>C1(=O)OC(C)CO1>[CH2:4]([OH:8])[CH:5]([OH:7])[CH3:6].[C:4](=[O:8])([O:10][CH3:9])[O:2][CH3:1]

Participants

Procedure

In a process as described in FIG. 1 7 t/h (tonnes per hour) propylene carbonate is fed into the upper part of a reactive distillation zone. Sodium methanolate in 0.5 t/h propylene glycol/methanol mixture as transesterification catalyst is also passed into the upper part of zone in an amount of 0.05 t/h. Twenty t/h methanol, fed into a lower part of the distillation zone, passes upward, and reacts with the propylene carbonate to form propylene glycol product and dimethyl carbonate. The propylene glycol is recovered in an amount of 5 t/h.