Acetophenone → Propylene Glycol

Participants

Reaction Steps

Forty grams of m-DIPB-p-DIPB mixture and 40 grams of acetophenone were charged to an Othmer type vapor liquid equilibrium still and refluxed for six hours. The azeotrope boiled at 191° C. (640 mm) and contained about 60% acetophenone. Both the vapor and liquid portions from the vapor-liquid equilibrium still were then extracted with propylene glycol at room temperature. Two liquid phases were obtained. The hydrocarbon phase was analysed by gas chromatography which gave a vapor composition of 69.5% m-DIPB, 30.5% p-DIPB and a liquid composition of 61.1% m-DIPB, 38.9% p-DIPB. This is a relative volatility of m-DIPB to p-DIPB of 1.45. The propylene glycol-acetophenone liquid phase was rectified and gave propylene glycol at 181° C. as overhead and acetophenone boiling at 194° C. as bottoms. Both were ready for recycle.

Provenance & Evidence