There is disclosed a cyclic process for producing taurine from monoethanolamine comprising the steps of: (a) recovering monoethanolamine sulfate from an aqueous mother liquor solution; (b) reacting the monoethanolamine sulfate with sulfuric acid to form an aqueous solution comprised of monoethanolamine bisulfate; (c) heating the aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine sulfate and optionally added monoethanolamine sulfate to yield 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester; and (d) reacting the ester with ammonium sulfite or an alkali sulfite to yield taurine.

There is disclosed a cyclic process for producing taurine from monoethanolamine comprising the steps of: (a) recovering monoethanolamine sulfate from an aqueous mother liquor solution; (b) reacting the monoethanolamine sulfate with sulfuric acid to form an aqueous solution comprised of monoethanolamine bisulfate; (c) heating the aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine sulfate and optionally added monoethanolamine sulfate to yield 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester; and (d) reacting the ester with ammonium sulfite or an alkali sulfite to yield taurine.

The invention relates to a thermal conversion vessel (200) used during amidification step of acetone cyanohydrin (ACH), in the industrial process for production of a methyl methacrylate (MMA) or methacrylic acid (MAA). The thermal conversion vessel (200) is used for converting an hydrolysis mixture of α-hydroxyisobutyramide (HIBAM), α-sulfatoisobutyramide (SIBAM), 2-methacrylamide (MACRYDE) and methacrylique acid (MAA), into a mixture of 2-methacrylamide (MACRYDE). It comprises:—at least one compartment (C1, C2, C3, . . . Ci) comprising an inner wall (206a, 206b, . . . 206i) separating said compartment into two communicating parts (C1a, C1b) by a passage provided between the bottom of said vessel and said inner wall,—said compartment having a space above said inner wall, for separating gas phase from liquid phase during thermal conversion,—said compartment being connected to an outlet valve (204a, 204b, . . . 204i). Such vessel allows obtaining a high yield thermal conversion in very safe conditions.

The invention relates to a thermal conversion vessel (200) used during amidification step of acetone cyanohydrin (ACH), in the industrial process for production of a methyl methacrylate (MMA) or methacrylic acid (MAA). The thermal conversion vessel (200) is used for converting an hydrolysis mixture of α-hydroxyisobutyramide (HIBAM), α-sulfatoisobutyramide (SIBAM), 2-methacrylamide (MACRYDE) and methacrylique acid (MAA), into a mixture of 2-methacrylamide (MACRYDE). It comprises:—at least one compartment (C1, C2, C3, . . . Ci) comprising an inner wall (206a, 206b, . . . 206i) separating said compartment into two communicating parts (C1a, C1b) by a passage provided between the bottom of said vessel and said inner wall,—said compartment having a space above said inner wall, for separating gas phase from liquid phase during thermal conversion,—said compartment being connected to an outlet valve (204a, 204b, . . . 204i). Such vessel allows obtaining a high yield thermal conversion in very safe conditions.

Disclosed is a methanol and sulfuric acid co-production system capable of producing methanol and sulfuric acid in equal equivalents. Specifically, the system includes an oxidation reaction unit configured to produce methyl bisulfate (CH.sub.3OSO.sub.3H) by reacting methane gas with an acid solution in the presence of a catalyst, a reactive distillation unit disposed downstream of the oxidation reaction unit and configured to esterify methyl bisulfate (CH.sub.3OSO.sub.3H) supplied from the oxidation reaction unit with trifluoroacetic acid (CF.sub.3COOH) to obtain a product and to separate the product into methyl trifluoroacetate (CF.sub.3COOCH.sub.3) and sulfuric acid (H.sub.2SO.sub.4) through thermal distillation, and a hydrolysis reaction unit disposed downstream of the reactive distillation unit and configured to produce methanol by hydrolyzing methyl trifluoroacetate (CF.sub.3COOCH.sub.3) supplied from the reactive distillation unit, in which the reactive distillation unit recirculates the sulfuric acid resulting from separation to the oxidation reaction unit.

Disclosed is a methanol and sulfuric acid co-production system capable of producing methanol and sulfuric acid in equal equivalents. Specifically, the system includes an oxidation reaction unit configured to produce methyl bisulfate (CH.sub.3OSO.sub.3H) by reacting methane gas with an acid solution in the presence of a catalyst, a reactive distillation unit disposed downstream of the oxidation reaction unit and configured to esterify methyl bisulfate (CH.sub.3OSO.sub.3H) supplied from the oxidation reaction unit with trifluoroacetic acid (CF.sub.3COOH) to obtain a product and to separate the product into methyl trifluoroacetate (CF.sub.3COOCH.sub.3) and sulfuric acid (H.sub.2SO.sub.4) through thermal distillation, and a hydrolysis reaction unit disposed downstream of the reactive distillation unit and configured to produce methanol by hydrolyzing methyl trifluoroacetate (CF.sub.3COOCH.sub.3) supplied from the reactive distillation unit, in which the reactive distillation unit recirculates the sulfuric acid resulting from separation to the oxidation reaction unit.

Sulfated oligohydroxycarboxylic acid esters have the general formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein at least one of the radicals A is —SO.sub.3B. Cosmetic and pharmaceutical agents contain said esters. These esters are effective as anionic surfactants.

Sulfated oligohydroxycarboxylic acid esters have the general formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein at least one of the radicals A is —SO.sub.3B. Cosmetic and pharmaceutical agents contain said esters. These esters are effective as anionic surfactants.

Sulfated oligohydroxycarboxylic acid esters have the general formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein at least one of the radicals A is —SO.sub.3B. Cosmetic and pharmaceutical agents contain said esters. These esters are effective as anionic surfactants.

There is disclosed a cyclic process for producing taurine from monoethanolamine comprising the steps of: (a) recovering monoethanolamine sulfate from an aqueous mother liquor solution; (b) reacting the monoethanolamine sulfate with sulfuric acid to form an aqueous solution comprised of monoethanolamine bisulfate; (c) heating the aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine sulfate and optionally added monoethanolamine sulfate to yield 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester; (d) reacting the ester with ammonium sulfite or an alkali sulfite to yield taurine and ammonium or alkali sulfate; (e) separating taurine and ammonium or alkali sulfate to give an aqueous mother liquor solution; and (f) recovering the monoethanolamine sulfate from the aqueous mother liquor solution and recycling to the monoethanolamine sulfate to step (b).