Purification process

Claim 2

The process of claim 1 wherein the treatment with basic reagent is carried out between 85* and 125* C.

Claim 3

The process of claim 3 wherein the basic reagent is calcium oxide.

Claim 4

The process of claim 3 wherein the basic reagent is sodium carbonate.

Claim 5

The process of claim 3 wherein the original oxime content of the crude product is less than 95 percent oxime.

Claim 6

The process of claim 6 wherein the treated product has a 98 percent and higher oxime content.

Claim 7

A process for purifying preformed crude paraffinone oxime containing 95 percent or less of cyclohexanone oxime and a mixture of paraffinone oxime, said paraffinone oximes having a carbon content of 10 to 15 carbon atoms and containing at least 5 percent of impurities selected from the group consisting of ketones, aldehydes and organic chlorene compounds, said crude oximes being derived from the photolytic nitrosation of mixtures of n-paraffins containing from 10 to 15 carbon atoms, comprising the steps of: a. treating said crude preformed paraffinone oximes at 85* to 125* C for 2 to 6 hours with 5 to 10 percent by weight of anhydrous basic reagent selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide and sodium carbonate, said weight of basic reagent being based upon the paraffinone oxime content, to substantially decompose said impurities, b. adding inert solvent to the basic reagent-treated paraffinone oxime to precipitate solid material from the solution of oximes containing decomposed impurities, c. clarifying said oxime solution by filtration to produce a clarified oxime solution containing said decomposed impurities, and d. subjecting the clarified oxime solution containing decomposed impurities to continuous thin film vacuum distillation until a substantially purified oxime product is produced.