Continuous process for the preparation of glycidyl polyethers

Claim 1

A CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR PREPARING GLYCIDYL POLYETHERS OF POLYHYDRIC PHENOLS, SAID POLYETHERS HAVING A MOLECULAR WEIGHT BELOW ABOUT 600, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING (A) CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING REACTANTS CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF (1) A POLYHYDRIC PHENOL WITH (2) AT LEAST 2.5 MOLS OF EPIHALOHYDRIN PER HYDROXYL EQUIVALENT OF POLYHYDRIC PHENOL AND SAID EPIHALOHYDRIN BEING SUFFICIENT TO FUNCTION AS A REACTION MEDIUM, AND (3) 0 TO ABOUT 2 WEIGHT PERCENT WATER, BASED UPON THE WEIGHT OF EPHIHALOHYDRIN INTO A REACTION ZONE, (B) BRINGING THE EPIHALOHYDRIN AND POLYHYDRIC PHENOL INTO INTIMATE CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH A CATALYTIC AMOUNT OF A CONDENSATION CATALYST IN THE REACTION ZONE AND AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE ABOUT 125* C. TO THEREBY PREFORM A POLYHALOHYDRIN ETHER OF THE POLYHYDRIC PHENOL ALONG WITH SIDE REACTION PRODUCTS, INCLUDING GLYCEROL DIHALOHYDRIN, IN SOLUTION IN THE EPIHALOHYDRIN, SAID CONDENSATION CATALYST BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF (1) QUATERNARY AMMONIUM SALTS, (2) QUATERNARY AMMONIUM HYDROXIDES, (3) TERTIARY AMINES CONTAINING NO ACITIVE AMINE HYDROGENS, (4) TERTIARY AMINE SALTS CONTAINING NO ACTIVE AMINE HYDROGENS, AND (5) ALKALI METAL HALIDES, (C) CONTINUOUSLY WITHDRAWING THE EPIHALOHYDRIN SOLUTION CONTAINING THE PREFORMED POLYHALOHYDRIC ETHER AND GLYCEROL DIHALOHYDRIN TO A DEHYDROHALOGENATION ZONE, AND (D) WITH THE EPIHALOHYDRIN STILL PRESENT AS WELL AS GLYCEROL DIHALOHYDRIN, HEATING BOTH THE POLYHALOHYDRIN ETHER AND THE GLYCEROL DIHALOHYDRIN TO A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST 50*C. AND THEREBY DEHYDROHALOGENATING WITH AN ALKALINE DEHYDROHALOGENATING AGENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF (1) THE ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDES, (2) THE ALKALINE EARTH METAL HYDROXIDES, (3) THE ZINCATES OF 1 AND 2 ABOVE AND (4) THE ALUMINATES OF 1 AND 2 ABOVE TO FORM A GLYCIDYL POLYETHER OF THE POLYHYDRIC PHENOL FROM THE POLYHALOHYDRIN ETHER, AND AN EPIHALOHYDRIN FROM THE GLYCEROL DIHALOHYDRIN.