Process for recovering isophorone and acetone from the autocondensation products of acetone

摘要

Acetone and isophorone are extracted from a mixture comprising autocondensation products of acetone which boil at temperatures higher and lower than the boiling point of isophorane by hydrolysing said autocondensation products with an aqueous alkaline solution at a temperature of 120 DEG to 300 DEG C. under pressure and simultaneously withdrawing, by fractional distillation, the acetone formed. Isophorone may be obtained by distillation of the condensates remaining and drawn from the sump of the distillation zone. The alkali concentration may range from 0.1%, by weight, to 0.001% and the quantity of water from 10 : 1 to 0.1 : 1, by weight, of water to organics. It is usual to employ a pressure resistant distillation column and to introduce the alkali solution into the base thereof or, preferably, into the upper portion thereof in order to effect countercurrent flow of reactants. The heat of condensation at the top of the distillation zone may be directly utilized for steam generation.