Production of hexamethylene glycol and hexamethylene diamine

摘要

1,6-Hexanediol is prepared by oxidizing cyclohexane with oxygen, separating adipic, epsilon-hydroxycaproic and glutaric acids from the oxidation product and recycling remaining organic substances to the oxidation, esterifying the separated acids with an aliphatic alcohol, hydrogenating the crude ester mixture to regenerate the alcohol and simultaneously form 1,6-hexanediol and separating the latter as substantially the only organic product of the process while recycling remaining organic compounds to the esterification. 1,6-Hexanediol representing cyclohexane used in the oxidation may be subjected to ammonolysis in the presence of hydrogen to produce hexamethylene diamine. By-products obtained include 1,5-pentenediol, hexamethyleneimine, 6-amino - hexanol - 1, 1 - (6 - aminohexyl) - hexamethyleneimine, cyclohexylamine, 1,6-di-iminohexane, cyclohexylamine, amylamine and dimethylamine.