? ?8?PROCESS FOR THE SEPARATION OF ETHYLBENZENE FROM OTHER CAROMATIC COMPOUNDS

摘要

Extractive agent compounds are disclosed, with exemplary compounds having Formula (I): wherein R^a and R^b are independently selected from the group consisting of an oxygen radical, a hydrogen radical, and a hydrocarbyl radical having from about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, and wherein R²-R⁶ are independently selected from the group consisting of halo, a hydrogen radical, and a hydrocarbyl radical having from about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, and further wherein at least two of R²-R⁶ are halo. Also disclosed are extractive distillation processes, comprising distilling a liquid mixture comprising ethylbenzene, a further C₈ aromatic compound, and an extractive agent compound as described herein. The extractive agent contributes to improved separability of ethylbenzene from the further C₈ aromatic compound. The separability may be quantified in terms of increasing relative volatility of ethylbenzene to the further C₈ aromatic compound or may alternatively be quantified in terms of a competitive factor, D, as described herein.