Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A process for the preparation of a composition comprising diglycerol and substantially no cyclic glycerols, said process comprising the steps of: (a) reacting at least a stoichiometric amount of isopropylideneglycerol and α-monochlorohydrin in the presence of an alkaline material at a first reaction temperature sufficient to yield an aqueous intermediate product composition comprising monoisopropylidenediglycerol and a salt; (b) separating said salt and water from said intermediate product composition, and separating excess unreacted isopropylideneglycerol by distillation; (c) reacting the remaining intermediate product composition with water in the presence of at least one acidic catalyst at a second reaction temperature sufficient to yield an aqueous product composition comprising diglycerol and acetone, and substantially no cyclic glycerols; and (d) separating said acetone from said product composition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
A process for the preparation of a composition comprising diglycerol and substantially no cyclic glycerols, said process comprising the steps of: (a) reacting at least a stoichiometric amount of isopropylideneglycerol and α-monochlorohydrin in the presence of an alkaline material at a first reaction temperature sufficient to yield an aqueous intermediate product composition comprising monoisopropylidenediglycerol and a salt; (b) separating said salt and water from said intermediate product composition, and separating excess unreacted isopropylideneglycerol by distillation; (c) reacting the remaining intermediate product composition with water in the presence of at least one acidic catalyst at a second reaction temperature sufficient to yield an aqueous product composition comprising diglycerol and acetone, and substantially no cyclic glycerols; and (d) separating said acetone from said product composition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first reaction temperature is within the range of from about 10° to about 110° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first reaction temperature is within the range of from about 40° to about 100° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second reaction temperature is within the range of from about 20° to about 110° C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 4, wherein said second reaction temperature is within the range of from about 60° to about 100° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intermediate product composition further comprises monoisopropylidenetriglycerol and monoisopropylidenetetraglycerol.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process as claimed in claim 6, wherein said product composition further comprises triglycerol and tetraglycerol.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein isopropylideneglycerol is reacted with α-monochlorohydrin in step (a) at a molar ratio within the range of from about 1.001:1 to about 20:1.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process as claimed in claim 8, wherein isopropylideneglycerol is reacted with α-monochlorohydrin in step (a) at a molar ratio within the range of from about 4:1 to about 10:1.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alkaline material comprises an alkali metal hydroxide solution.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process as claimed in claim 10, wherein α-monochlorohydrin is reacted in step (a) at a α-monochlorohydrin to alkali metal hydroxide molar ratio within the range of from about 1:1.001 to about 1:1.5.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process as claimed in claim 11, wherein α-monochlorohydrin is reacted in step (a) at a α-monochlorohydrin to alkali metal hydroxide molar ratio within the range of from about 1:1.005 to about 1:1.3.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein α-monochlorohydrin in step (a) is added continuously to the reaction mixture of isopropylideneglycerol and alkaline material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the separation of said salt in step (b) is by filtration or centrifugation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of recirculating said acetone separated in step (d) to produce isopropylideneglycerol by reaction with glycerol.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of: subjecting the product composition to at least one cation exchange followed by at least one anion exchange to remove dissolved residual salt.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
A process as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the steps of: (e) subjecting the product composition to at least one cation exchange followed by at least one anion exchange to remove dissolved residual salt; and (f) subjecting the resulting product composition from step (e) to fractional distillation to separate said product composition into water, glycerol, diglycerol, triglycerol and tetraglycerol.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of recirculating said isopropylideneglycerol separated in step (b) to step (a).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the process is carried out as a continuous process.