Process for distilling vinyl aromatic compounds

Claim 1

IN A METHOD OF RECOVERING A MIXTURE OF ETHYLVINYLBENZENE AND DIVINYLBENZENE FROM A MORE COMPLEX MIXTURE OBTAINED BY PYROLYSIS OF DIETHYLBENZENE, THE STEPS WHICH CONSIST IN FIRST DISTILLING THE PYROLYSIS MIXTURE AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE WITH STEAM TO SEPARATE VAPORS WATER AND LOWER BOILING COMPONENTS OF THE MIXTURE FROM THE LIQUID, SUCH DISTILLATION BEING CARRIED OUT IN A COLUMN THROUGH WHICH AN INERT ORGANIC LIQUID HAVING A BOILING POINT AT LEAST 10* C. HIGHER THAN THE BOILING POINT OF DIVINYLBENZENE FLOWS COUNTERCURRENT TO THE VAPORS IN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST 5 PER CENT BY WEIGHT OF THE LIQUID FEED TO THE COLUMN, WHILE FEEDING A POLYMERIZATION INHIBITOR INTO CONTACT WITH THE DISTILLING MIXTURE, THEN DISTILLING IN SIMILAR MANNER, THE RESIDUE FROM THE FIRST DISTILLATION TO REMOVE VAPORS OF WATER, ETHYLVINYLBENZENE AND DIVINYLBENZENE FROM THE REMAINING LIQUID, AND SEPARATING THE AQUEOUS AND ORGANIC LAYERS FROM THE RESPECTIVE DISTILLATES.