Continuous epoxidation method

Claim 1

IN THE PROCESS OF EPOXIDIZING A COMPOUND CONTAINING AN EPOXIDIZING ETHYLENIC GROUP SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ETHYLENICALLY UNSATURATED ACIDS, ESTERS, ALCOHOLS, AND HYDROCARBONS BY THE REACTION OF SAID COMPOUND WITH IN SITU PRODUCED CARBOXYLIC PERACID, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING SAID COMPOUND INTO ONE END OF AN ELONGATED REACTION ZONE, INTRODUCING AQUEOUS HYDROGEN PEROXIDE INTO THE OTHER END OF SAID REACTION ZONE, INTRODUCING INTO SAID REACTION ZONE INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF THE SAID REACTION ZONE, A SATURATED ALIPHATIC CARBOXYLIC CONTAINING FROM 1 TO 8 CARBON ATOMS, PASSING SAID COMPOUND IN INTIMATE, CONTINUOUS COUNTERCURRENT CONTACT WITH AN AQUEOUS PHASE CONTAINING AS ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS SAID CARBOXYLIC ACID, SAID HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, AND CARBOXYLIC PERACID PRODUCED BY IN THE SITU REACTION OF SAID HYDROGEN PEROXIDE AND SAID CARBOXYLIC ACID IN SAID REACTION ZONE WHILE DISPERSING GASAS PRESENT IN THE REACTION ZONE, MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID REACTION ZONE BELOW ABOUT 100*C., REMOVINGG EPOXIDIZED PRODUCT FROM ONE END OF SAID REACTION ZONE, AND REMOVING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION FROM THE OTHER END OF SAID REACTION ZONE.