The present invention relates to a continuous process for the liquid-
phase synthesis of
isophorone by alkaline self-condensation of
acetone, comprising the following successive steps:a)
continuous injection through a tubular reactor (R) of a
stream of an aqueous
alkali metal hydroxide solution and of a
stream of an organic solution comprising
acetone and by-products recycled via step g), followed byb)
condensation reaction of
acetone within the tubular reactor (R), followed byc)
distillation of the reaction mixture obtained from the tubular reactor (R), followed byd) separation of the concentrated crude reaction mixture obtained from the
distillation of step c) resulting in an alkaline aqueous phase and an organic phase containing
isophorone, followed bye)
distillation of the organic phase containing
isophorone recovered in the preceding step, followed byf) distillation of the polycondensation by-products from the bottom of the column (D2) obtained from the preceding distillation, followed byg) recycling of the
stream obtained from the top of the distillation column (D3) of the preceding step comprising xylitones and / or isoxylitones to the tubular reactor (R).