Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
In a process for dehydrohalogenating a halogenated hydrocarbon to an ethylenically unsaturated product with aqueous alkali in the presence of a phase-transfer catalyst in a series of at least two liquid-full reactors operating in a cascade arrangement, the improvement of feeding the halogenated hydrocarbon and the catalyst to the first reactor while feeding fresh aqueous alkali to a reactor subsequent to the first, which alkali may be fed together with the organic phase entering that reactor, separating the effluent from the last reactor into a partially spent aqueous alkali solution, which is fed to the first reactor, and an organic phase, from which the ethylenically unsaturated product is recovered; and removing waste brine from the effluent from the reactor immediately preceding the fresh aqueous alkali feedpoint.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
In a process for dehydrohalogenating a halogenated hydrocarbon to an ethylenically unsaturated product with aqueous alkali in the presence of a phase-transfer catalyst in a series of at least two liquid-full reactors operating in a cascade arrangement, the improvement of feeding the halogenated hydrocarbon and the catalyst to the first reactor while feeding fresh aqueous alkali to a reactor subsequent to the first, which alkali may be fed together with the organic phase entering that reactor, separating the effluent from the last reactor into a partially spent aqueous alkali solution, which is fed to the first reactor, and an organic phase, from which the ethylenically unsaturated product is recovered; and removing waste brine from the effluent from the reactor immediately preceding the fresh aqueous alkali feedpoint.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the starting halogenated hydrocarbon is 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobutane or 3,4-dichlorobutene-1.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the catalyst is a quaternary ammonium compound.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 3 wherein the catalyst is a quaternary ammonium chloride.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
110 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the quaternary ammonium chloride has the formula R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 NCl in which each of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 independently is a C 1 -C 20 alkyl, a C 2 -C 20 alkenyl, or a C 7 -C 20 aralkyl; and R 4 is a C 6 -C 20 alkyl or alkenyl, benzyl, or a (C 6 -C 20 ) alkyl- or alkenyl-substituted benzyl; with the proviso that each of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 may also contain a hydroxyl or ether group in a position beta to the nitrogen atom.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the number of reactors is 3 to 8.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the alkali is sodium hydroxide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the location of fresh alkali feed is about the midpoint of the reactor train.