Process for the production of

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BUTADIENE DIOXIDE, THE COMBINATION OF STEPS WHICH COMPRISES (1) REACTING BUTADIENE AND CHLORINE TO PRODUCE 1,4-DICHLORO-2-BUTENE; (2) REACTING THE 1,4-DICHLORO-2-BUTENE AND AN EPOXIDIZING AGENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PERACETIC ACID AND ACETALDEHYDE MONOPERACETATE AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF FROM ABOUT 50*C. TO 150*C. TO PRODUCE 1,4-DICHLORO-2,3-EPOXYBUTANE; (3) HYDROLYZING THE 1,4DICHLORO-2,3-EPOXYBUTANE; BY HEATING AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF FROM 50*C. TO 175*C., WITH WATER AND A WATER-MISCIBLE ORGANIC HYDROCARBON ETHER FREE FROM FUNCTIONAL GROUPS OTHER THAN ETHER LINKAGES IN WHICH THE 1,4DICHLORO-2,3-EPOXYBUTANE IS SUBSTANTIALLY SOLUBLE, SAID WATER-MISCIBLE ETHER BEING EMPLOYED IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE A SINGLE PHASE REACTION MIXTURE, TO PRODUCE 1,4-DICHLORO-2,3-BUTANEDIOL AND ISOLATING THE 1,4-DICHLORO-2,3-BUTANEDIOL; (4) FORMING A MIXTURE COMPRISING 1,4-DICHLORO-2,3-BUTANEDIOL, AN ANHYDROUS SALT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKALI AND ALKALINE EARTH METAL SULFATES AND A WATER-IMMISCIBLE DIALKYL ETHER AND REACTING SAID MIXTURE WITH FINELY DIVIDED ALKALI HYDROXIDE TO PRODUCE BUTADIENE DIOXIDE AND RECOVERING THE BUTADIENE DIOXIDE THUS FORMED.