Method for producing ethyleneamines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11021434-B2
Application number	US-201816759348-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2018
Priority date	Oct 27, 2017
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for preparing ethyleneamines and/or alkanolamines, comprising the following steps:
1) reacting MEG with ammonia in the presence of hydrogen and an amination catalyst; 2) removing hydrogen and ammonia from the reaction output from stage 1 , wherein the removal of hydrogen and ammonia in stage 2 comprises the following steps: 2-1) separating the reaction output from stage 1 into a gaseous phase comprising ammonia and hydrogen, and a liquid phase comprising ethyleneamines and/or alkanolamines, 2-2) passing the gaseous phase from stage 2 - 1 ) through one or more condensers to obtain one or more liquid phases in which ammonia has been enriched, and a gaseous phase in which hydrogen has been enriched, 2-3) contacting the gaseous phase from stage 2 - 2 ) with MEG so as to obtain a liquid phase comprising MEG and ammonia and a gaseous phase comprising hydrogen and optionally ammonia.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for preparing ethyleneamines and/or alkanolamines, comprising the following steps:
1) reacting monoethylene glycol with ammonia in the presence of hydrogen and an amination catalyst;
2) removing hydrogen and ammonia from the reaction output from stage 1 , wherein the removal of hydrogen and ammonia in stage 2 comprises the following steps:
2-1) separating the reaction output from stage 1 into a gaseous phase comprising ammonia and hydrogen, and a liquid phase comprising ethyleneamines and/or alkanolamines,
2-2) passing the gaseous phase from stage 2 - 1 ) through one or more condensers to obtain one or more liquid phases in which ammonia has been enriched, and a gaseous phase in which hydrogen has been enriched,
2-3) contacting the gaseous phase from stage 2 - 2 ) with monoethylene glycol so as to obtain a liquid phase comprising monoethylene glycol and ammonia and a gaseous phase comprising hydrogen and optionally ammonia.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the monoethylene glycol before being contacted with the gaseous phase from 2 - 2 ) is at a temperature in the range from 20 to 80° C.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the monoethylene glycol which is used in stage 2 - 3 comprises a sulfur content of less than 100 ppm.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid phase from stage 2 - 3 is passed into stage 1 ).

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein stage 2 - 1 is effected at a pressure in the range from 20 to 80 bar.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein stage 2 - 2 ) consists of one condenser.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein stage 2 - 2 ) consists of two condensers.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more condensers in stage 2 - 2 ) are designed such that the temperature of the gaseous phase from stage 2 - 2 ) which is introduced into stage 2 - 3 ) is in the range from 25 to 75° C.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid phases from stage 2 - 2 ) are recycled separately or together into stage 1 ).

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the gaseous phase from stage 2 - 3 ) is compressed and recycled into stage 1 ).

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein stage 1 ) is conducted at a pressure in the range from 50 to 500 bar.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein stage 1 ) is conducted at a temperature in the range from 50 to 350° C.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein stage 1 ) is conducted at a temperature in the range from 50 to 350° C.

Assignees

• Basf Se

Inventors

• Luyken Hermann

Classifications

• C07C213/02

  by reactions involving the formation of amino groups from compounds containing hydroxy groups or etherified or esterified hydroxy groups · CPC title

• C07C209/16 Primary

  with formation of amino groups bound to acyclic carbon atoms or to carbon atoms of rings other than six-membered aromatic rings · CPC title

• C07C215/08

  with only one hydroxy group and one amino group bound to the carbon skeleton · CPC title

• C07C211/22

  containing at least two amino groups bound to the carbon skeleton · CPC title