The present invention relates to a method for purifying phenol, which comprises: supplying a feed comprising phenol, acetone, hydroxyacetone and water to a distillation column at 60 C. to 95 C.; separating the feed into a first fraction, which comprises the acetone, and separates to the upper part of the distillation column and a second fraction, which comprises the phenol, and separates to the lower part of the distillation column; and recovering the first fraction and the second fraction, respectively.

The present application relates to a distillation device. When a feedstock containing acetone and methanol is separated using a distillation device according to the present application, a methanol removal distillation column may be located at a position for easily separating methanol to solve a problem due to accumulation of methanol in the process and to lower the methanol content in the acetone product, and thus the lifetime of catalysts can be extended, and moreover, methanol can be removed with good efficiency from a flow of the lower part of the distillation column obtaining the final acetone product by using only the conventional phase separator and one methanol removal distillation column further installed, so that the acetone product obtained from the upper part of the distillation column obtaining the acetone product can be obtained in high purity and the operating cost and the equipment cost of equipments can be greatly reduced.

The present application relates to a distillation device. When a feedstock containing acetone and methanol is separated using a distillation device according to the present application, a methanol removal distillation column may be located at a position for easily separating methanol to solve a problem due to accumulation of methanol in the process and to lower the methanol content in the acetone product, and thus the lifetime of catalysts can be extended, and moreover, methanol can be removed with good efficiency from a flow of the lower part of the distillation column obtaining the final acetone product by using only the conventional phase separator and one methanol removal distillation column further installed, so that the acetone product obtained from the upper part of the distillation column obtaining the acetone product can be obtained in high purity and the operating cost and the equipment cost of equipments can be greatly reduced.

The present application relates to a distillation device. When a feedstock containing acetone and methanol is separated using a distillation device according to the present application, a methanol removal distillation column may be located at a position for easily separating methanol to solve a problem due to accumulation of methanol in the process and to lower the methanol content in the acetone product, and thus the lifetime of catalysts can be extended, and moreover, methanol can be removed with good efficiency from a flow of the lower part of the distillation column obtaining the final acetone product by using only the conventional phase separator and one methanol removal distillation column further installed, so that the acetone product obtained from the upper part of the distillation column obtaining the acetone product can be obtained in high purity and the operating cost and the equipment cost of equipments can be greatly reduced.

Processes and systems for separating a mixture of three or more chemical components into multiple product streams each enriched in one of the components are provided herein. In some aspects, the present invention relates to processes for the separation of a chemical mixture including at least a heavy key component, an intermediate key component, and a light key component to form a product stream enriched in the light key component, a product stream enriched in the intermediate key component, and a product stream enriched in the heavy key component. Systems described herein may include one or more thermally coupled distillation columns including, for example, a dividing wall column, or a plurality of distillation columns arranged in a thermally integrated configuration.

Processes and systems for separating a mixture of three or more chemical components into multiple product streams each enriched in one of the components are provided herein. In some aspects, the present invention relates to processes for the separation of a chemical mixture including at least a heavy key component, an intermediate key component, and a light key component to form a product stream enriched in the light key component, a product stream enriched in the intermediate key component, and a product stream enriched in the heavy key component. Systems described herein may include one or more thermally coupled distillation columns including, for example, a dividing wall column, or a plurality of distillation columns arranged in a thermally integrated configuration.

There is provided a method for producing hydroxypivalaldehyde (HPA), including steps (i) to (iii) below in this order, Step (i): a reaction step of reacting IBAL with FA to produce a reaction solution containing HPA, step (ii): an extraction step of extracting the reaction solution with an aldehyde solvent represented by formula (1) under basicity to obtain an extract containing HPA, and step (iii): a distillation and collection step of distilling the extract and then collecting HPA from the residue, ##STR00001## wherein R represents a saturated alkyl group having 3 or more and 7 or less carbon atoms, further wherein the distillation step of the step (iii) is a step of distilling an extract in the presence of water, and an amount of the water which is subjected to the distillation is 100 parts by mass or more and 2,000 parts by mass or less with respect to a total amount, 100 parts by mass, of isobutyraldehyde (IBAL) derived from a raw material and an aldehyde solvent represented by formula (1) in an extract which is subjected to the distillation. The method enables HPA to be mass-produced and the collecting ratio of HPA to be improved while selectively removing impurities other than water contained in HPA, specifically IBAL and the like. According to the method for producing HPA as mentioned above, it is possible to reduce the content of neopentyl glycol-isobutyrate, isobutylaldehyde-hydroxypivalaldehyde-acetal, and isobutylaldehyde-hydroxypivalaldehyde-aldol as specific impurities byproduced from HPA.

There is provided a method for producing hydroxypivalaldehyde (HPA), including steps (i) to (iii) below in this order, Step (i): a reaction step of reacting IBAL with FA to produce a reaction solution containing HPA, step (ii): an extraction step of extracting the reaction solution with an aldehyde solvent represented by formula (1) under basicity to obtain an extract containing HPA, and step (iii): a distillation and collection step of distilling the extract and then collecting HPA from the residue, ##STR00001## wherein R represents a saturated alkyl group having 3 or more and 7 or less carbon atoms, further wherein the distillation step of the step (iii) is a step of distilling an extract in the presence of water, and an amount of the water which is subjected to the distillation is 100 parts by mass or more and 2,000 parts by mass or less with respect to a total amount, 100 parts by mass, of isobutyraldehyde (IBAL) derived from a raw material and an aldehyde solvent represented by formula (1) in an extract which is subjected to the distillation. The method enables HPA to be mass-produced and the collecting ratio of HPA to be improved while selectively removing impurities other than water contained in HPA, specifically IBAL and the like. According to the method for producing HPA as mentioned above, it is possible to reduce the content of neopentyl glycol-isobutyrate, isobutylaldehyde-hydroxypivalaldehyde-acetal, and isobutylaldehyde-hydroxypivalaldehyde-aldol as specific impurities byproduced from HPA.

Processes and systems for separating a mixture of three or more chemical components into multiple product streams each enriched in one of the components are provided herein. In some aspects, the present invention relates to processes for the separation of a chemical mixture including at least a heavy key component, an intermediate key component, and a light key component to form a product stream enriched in the light key component, a product stream enriched in the intermediate key component, and a product stream enriched in the heavy key component. Systems described herein may include one or more thermally coupled distillation columns including, for example, a dividing wall column, or a plurality of distillation columns arranged in a thermally integrated configuration.

Processes and systems for separating a mixture of three or more chemical components into multiple product streams each enriched in one of the components are provided herein. In some aspects, the present invention relates to processes for the separation of a chemical mixture including at least a heavy key component, an intermediate key component, and a light key component to form a product stream enriched in the light key component, a product stream enriched in the intermediate key component, and a product stream enriched in the heavy key component. Systems described herein may include one or more thermally coupled distillation columns including, for example, a dividing wall column, or a plurality of distillation columns arranged in a thermally integrated configuration.