ELECTROHYDRODIMERIZATION PROCESS IMPROVEMENT AND IMPROVED ELECTROLYTE RECOVERY PROCESS

摘要

ELECTROHYDRODIMERIZATION PROCESS IMPROVEMENT ANDIMPROVED ELECTROLYTE RECOVERY PROCESSABSTRACTAn improvement in an electrolytic hydrodimerizationprocess for hydrodimerizing an olefinic compound such asacrylonitrile to form a dimerized product such asadiponitrile in which an aqueous electrolyte solutioncomprised of the olefinic compound, a directive salt(providing quaternary ammonium cations) and a conductivesalt is electrolyzed in a reaction cell, the aqueoussolution is purged from the reaction cell, and subjectedto a series of steps involving the recovery of the product,the directive salt and the conductive salt, the recoveredsalts being used to reconstitute the aqueous solution, theimprovement being a functionally coordinated evaporationstep which permits more efficient recovery of product andsalts, a higher purge rate and a substantially higher yieldof the dimerized product. The invention also constitutesan improved electrolyte recovery process.