Isolating Dialkylene Phenolic Glycol Ether via Alkali Salt Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing processes for producing phenolic glycol ethers, such as propylene glycol phenyl ether and ethylene glycol phenyl ether, face challenges in separating higher homolog products from glycosylated phenol impurities due to similar boiling points, leading to impurity levels exceeding 1 weight percent, which fails to meet product quality specifications.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the addition of an alkali metal source to form an alkali phenolic salt with glycosylated phenol impurities, followed by thin film evaporation to separate the dialkylene phenolic glycol ether from the alkali phenolic salt, effectively reducing impurity levels to less than 1 weight percent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a second distillation process is used to separate higher homolog products from impurities, then separation is attempted, but the impurities are co-distilled with the desired higher homolog products due to identical boiling points, resulting in failure to meet product quality specifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the impurities by reacting them with alkali metal to form salts, which fundamentally alters their volatility characteristics. This transforms the separation problem from one based on boiling point differences to one based on phase behavior differences, enabling effective separation through thin film evaporation despite the original identical boiling points
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition differences between the desired higher homolog products and the converted impurity salts. The alkali metal salts of glycosylated phenol impurities remain non-volatile under thin film evaporation conditions, while the higher homolog products vaporize and are condensed, achieving separation based on differential phase behavior rather than boiling point differences
2Ease of operation
If conventional distillation is used, then the process is simple to operate, but the boiling points of higher homolog products and impurities are almost identical, making separation ineffective and impurity levels exceed 1 wt. %
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs a preliminary chemical transformation of the impurities into alkali metal salts before the separation step. This preliminary action modifies the impurity properties to create a volatile/non-volatile distinction, enabling subsequent efficient separation while maintaining operational simplicity through a straightforward reaction-evaporation sequence
Solution Approach 2:
The alkali metal acts as an intermediary substance that selectively reacts with the glycosylated phenol impurities to form salts. This intermediary enables separation by creating a fundamental difference in volatility between the desired product and impurities, which then can be separated through thin film evaporation without complex multi-stage distillation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for the successful separation of dialkylene phenolic glycol ethers from glycosylated phenol impurities, achieving a product with less than 1 weight percent impurities, thus meeting quality specifications by altering the vapor pressure of the impurities and utilizing thin film evaporation for efficient separation.
Implementation Method 1
adding a source of an alkali metal to the mixture to form a phenolic glycol product having an alkali phenolic salt formed from a reaction between the alkali metal and the glycosylated phenol impurities
Implementation Method 2
separating the dialkylene phenolic glycol ether from the alkali phenolic salt in the phenolic glycol product through a thin film evaporation process
Implementation Method 3
altering the vapor pressure of the impurities and utilizing thin film evaporation for efficient separation
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method for isolating dialkylene phenolic glycol ether (DPGE) from a mixture that includes DPGE and glycosylated phenol impurities. The method includes adding a source of an alkali metal to the mixture to form a phenolic glycol product having an alkali phenolic salt formed from a reaction between the alkali metal and the glycosylated phenol impurities; and separating the DPGE from the alkali phenolic salt in the phenolic glycol product through a thin film evaporation process to produce a dialkylene phenolic glycol ether product. The disclosure also includes a phenolic glycol product that includes DPGE; water; glycosylated phenol impurities; a source of alkali metal; and an alkali phenolic salt formed from a reaction between the alkali metal and the glycosylated phenol impurities.