Controlled distillation of oxo alcohols containing high-boiling impurities

Claim 1

AN IMPROVED CONTINUOUS DISTILLATION PROCESS FOR THE PURIFICATION OF AN IMPURE PRIMARY C8 ISOOCTYL ALCOHOL OBTAINED BY THE OXO PROCESS OF THE CATALYTIC REACTION OF A C7 OLEFIN STREAM WITH CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN AND SUBSEQUENT HYDROGENATION OF THE C8 ALDEHYDES OBTAINED THEREFROM, AND CONTAINING HIGH-BOILING THERMALLY THERESTABLE IMPURITIES INCLUDING ACETALS, ESTERS, HEMIACETALS, AND ETHERS, WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING THE IMPURE ALCOHOL INTO AN ALCOHOL DISTALLATION ZONE, REMOVING AN ALCOHOL RICH OVERHEAD VAPOR ZONE, REMOVING AN ALCOHOL RICH OVERHEAD VAPOR STREAM FROM SAID DISTILLATION ZONE, MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE LIQUID BOTTOMS BELOW 260* C., BUT AT A MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 175* C. TO RETAIN AS BOTTOMS FROM 5 TO 10% OF THE ALCOHOL PRESENT IN THE IMPURE ALCOHOL FED TO THE DISTALLATION ZONE, WHEREBY THE DECOMPOSTION OF THE HIGH-ABOILING THERMALLY UNSTABLE IMPURTIES IS PREVENTED, REMOVING A LIQUID BOTTOMS PRODUCT CONTAINING THE RETAINED ALCOHOL AND THERAFTER STEAM STRIPPING THE RESIDUAL ALCOHOL FROM THE HIGH-BOIL ING IMPURITIES IN THE BOTTOMS TO THE ALDEHYDE HYDROGENATION FOR THE REHYDROGENATION.