This invention discloses an olefin oxidation process, including a step of under olefin oxidation conditions, successively passing a reaction feed from the No.1 catalyst bed through the No.n catalyst bed, wherein if the apparent velocity of each of the reaction materials passing from the No.1 catalyst bed through the No.n catalyst bed is respectively named as v.sub.1 to v.sub.n, and if m represents any integer in the region [2, n], the relationship v.sub.m-1<v.sub.m holds. The process according to this invention is capable of extending the service life of the catalyst, especially the single-pass service life thereof, and at the same time, suppressing any side-reaction over a prolonged period of time. This invention further discloses a fixed-bed reaction apparatus and a system for olefin oxidation.

A continuous process for the preparation of propylene oxide, comprising (i) providing a liquid feed stream comprising propene, hydrogen peroxide, acetonitrile, water, optionally propane, and at least one dissolved potassium salt of a phosphorus oxyacid wherein the molar ratio of potassium relative to phosphorus in the at least one potassium salt of a phosphorus oxyacid is in the range of from 0.6 to 1.4; (ii) passing the liquid feed stream provided in (i) into an epoxidation reactor comprising a catalyst comprising a titanium zeolite of structure type MWW comprising zinc, and subjecting the liquid feed stream to epoxidation reaction conditions in the epoxidation reactor, obtaining a reaction mixture comprising propylene oxide, acetonitrile, water, the at least one dissolved potassium salt of a phosphorus oxyacid, optionally propene, and optionally propane; (iii) removing an effluent stream from the epoxidation reactor, the effluent stream comprising propylene oxide, acetonitrile, water, at least a portion of the at least one dissolved potassium salt of a phosphorus oxyacid, optionally propene, and optionally propane.

A continuous process for the preparation of propylene oxide, comprising (i) providing a liquid feed stream comprising propene, hydrogen peroxide, acetonitrile, water, optionally propane, and at least one dissolved potassium salt of a phosphorus oxyacid wherein the molar ratio of potassium relative to phosphorus in the at least one potassium salt of a phosphorus oxyacid is in the range of from 0.6 to 1.4; (ii) passing the liquid feed stream provided in (i) into an epoxidation reactor comprising a catalyst comprising a titanium zeolite of structure type MWW comprising zinc, and subjecting the liquid feed stream to epoxidation reaction conditions in the epoxidation reactor, obtaining a reaction mixture comprising propylene oxide, acetonitrile, water, the at least one dissolved potassium salt of a phosphorus oxyacid, optionally propene, and optionally propane; (iii) removing an effluent stream from the epoxidation reactor, the effluent stream comprising propylene oxide, acetonitrile, water, at least a portion of the at least one dissolved potassium salt of a phosphorus oxyacid, optionally propene, and optionally propane.

Disclosed herein is a method of making a 2-(2,3-epoxypropyl)phenol by reacting a 2-allylphenol with an oxidant in the presence of a catalyst. A 3-chromanol can be formed as a by-product. The method can be used to make 2-(2,3-epoxypropyl)-6-methylphenol. Transition metal catalysts and peroxide oxidants can be used. Also disclosed is a composition comprising 1 to 90 weight percent of a 2-(2,3-epoxypropylphenol, 5 to 90 weight percent of a 2-allylphenol, and 0 to 40 weight percent of a 3-chromanol, and in particular, a composition comprising 1 to 90 weight percent 2-(2,3-epoxypropyl)-6-methylphenol, 5 to 90 weight percent 2-allyl-6-methylphenol, and 0 to 40 weight percent 8-methyl-3-chromanol.

Disclosed herein is a method of making a 2-(2,3-epoxypropyl)phenol by reacting a 2-allylphenol with an oxidant in the presence of a catalyst. A 3-chromanol can be formed as a by-product. The method can be used to make 2-(2,3-epoxypropyl)-6-methylphenol. Transition metal catalysts and peroxide oxidants can be used. Also disclosed is a composition comprising 1 to 90 weight percent of a 2-(2,3-epoxypropylphenol, 5 to 90 weight percent of a 2-allylphenol, and 0 to 40 weight percent of a 3-chromanol, and in particular, a composition comprising 1 to 90 weight percent 2-(2,3-epoxypropyl)-6-methylphenol, 5 to 90 weight percent 2-allyl-6-methylphenol, and 0 to 40 weight percent 8-methyl-3-chromanol.

The present invention pertains to a process for preparing 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyrate (HMB) or a salt thereof, the method comprising (a) reacting isobutylene oxide with cyanide in order to obtain 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyronitrile, and (b) hydrolyzing the 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyronitrile obtained in step (a) in order to obtain HMB, wherein hydrolysis step (b) is performed using either at least one nitrilase enzyme or, alternatively, using a combination of enzymes, said combination comprising at least one nitrile hydratase and at least one amidase.

The present invention pertains to a process for preparing 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyrate (HMB) or a salt thereof, the method comprising (a) reacting isobutylene oxide with cyanide in order to obtain 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyronitrile, and (b) hydrolyzing the 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyronitrile obtained in step (a) in order to obtain HMB, wherein hydrolysis step (b) is performed using either at least one nitrilase enzyme or, alternatively, using a combination of enzymes, said combination comprising at least one nitrile hydratase and at least one amidase.

The present invention relates to a method of preparing cyclododecanone. According to the present invention, a method of preparing cyclododecanone which allows implementation of a high conversion rate and minimization of production of unreacted materials and reaction by-products may be provided. In addition, the present invention implements a high conversion rate and a high selectivity even by a simplified process configuration, and thus may be usefully utilized in an economical method of preparing laurolactam, allowing commercially easy mass production.

The invention relates to a process for preparing propylene oxide, comprising (i) providing a stream comprising propene, propane, hydrogen peroxide or a source of hydrogen peroxide, water, and an organic solvent; (ii) passing the liquid feed stream provided in (i) into an epoxidation zone comprising an epoxidation catalyst comprising a titanium zeolite, and subjecting the liquid feed stream to epoxidation reaction conditions in the epoxidation zone, obtaining a reaction mixture comprising propene, propane, propylene oxide, water, and the organic solvent; (iii) removing an effluent stream from the epoxidation zone, the effluent stream comprising propene, propane, propylene oxide, water, and the organic solvent; (iv) separating propene and propane from the effluent stream by distillation, comprising subjecting the effluent stream to distillation conditions in a distillation unit, obtaining a gaseous stream (S1) which is enriched in propene and propane compared to the effluent stream subjected to distillation conditions, and a liquid bottoms stream (S2) which is enriched in propylene oxide, water and organic solvent compared to the effluent stream subjected to distillation conditions; (v) separating propane from the stream (S1) in a separation zone, comprising subjecting the stream (S1) to washing conditions in a scrubber, wherein a solvent mixture comprising organic solvent and water is added as entraining agent, obtaining a bottoms stream (S3), which comprises organic solvent, water and at least 70 weight-% of the propene comprised in (S1); and a gaseous top stream (S4), which comprises at least 5 weight-% of the propane comprised in stream (S1).

The invention relates to a process for preparing propylene oxide, comprising (i) providing a stream comprising propene, propane, hydrogen peroxide or a source of hydrogen peroxide, water, and an organic solvent; (ii) passing the liquid feed stream provided in (i) into an epoxidation zone comprising an epoxidation catalyst comprising a titanium zeolite, and subjecting the liquid feed stream to epoxidation reaction conditions in the epoxidation zone, obtaining a reaction mixture comprising propene, propane, propylene oxide, water, and the organic solvent; (iii) removing an effluent stream from the epoxidation zone, the effluent stream comprising propene, propane, propylene oxide, water, and the organic solvent; (iv) separating propene and propane from the effluent stream by distillation, comprising subjecting the effluent stream to distillation conditions in a distillation unit, obtaining a gaseous stream (S1) which is enriched in propene and propane compared to the effluent stream subjected to distillation conditions, and a liquid bottoms stream (S2) which is enriched in propylene oxide, water and organic solvent compared to the effluent stream subjected to distillation conditions; (v) separating propane from the stream (S1) in a separation zone, comprising subjecting the stream (S1) to washing conditions in a scrubber, wherein a solvent mixture comprising organic solvent and water is added as entraining agent, obtaining a bottoms stream (S3), which comprises organic solvent, water and at least 70 weight-% of the propene comprised in (S1); and a gaseous top stream (S4), which comprises at least 5 weight-% of the propane comprised in stream (S1).