BigPatents India

A process for the simultaneous co-production of ethy1 acetate and n-buty1 acetate in reaction of a mixture of ethanol and n-butanol with acetic acid in the liquid phase in the presence of an acidic catalyst characterised in that: (i) the reactants comprising ethanol, n-butanol and acetic acid are fed to the base of a reaction Column A which contains the acidic esterification catalyst and is maintained at elevated temperature to form a product comprising ethy1 acetate and N-buty1 acetate which rises up the Column A, and wherein the amount of acetic acid in the base of column A is in the range from 30 to 75% based on the total weight of the reactor contents used in the esterification reaction in Column A. (ii) the overheads from Column A comprising the mixture of ethy1 acetate and n-buty1 acetate are fed, optionally after a decatation step, to about the upper half of a distillation Column C operated under elevated temperature whereby: (a) a light ends fraction is separated from the reaction products and recovered as overheads therefrom, (b) a stream comprising predominatly ethy1 acetate and n-buty1 acetate is withdrawn from the base thereof and fed to the upper half of a purification column E, (c) a side-stream comprising the reactant alcohols, water and some of the esters is withdrawn from the upper half of Column C fed to a decanter wherefrom, following decantation, the oil phase is returned to the Column C feed and the aqueous phase fed to Column D, (iii) the steam comprising a mixture of ethy1 acetate and n-buty1 acetate is fractionated in column B so as to recover: (a) substantially pure ethy1 acetate overhead, (b) substantially pure n-buty 1 acetate from the base of Column E and (c) a liquid waste stream at a point intermediate between the withdrawal points for (iii) (a) and (iii) (b) above and comprising the unwanted impurities including the unwanted carbony1 compounds which stream is discharged, and (iv) the side-stream comprising a mixture of the esters and alcohols fed to Column D is fractionated so as to remove a mixture comprising predominantly ethanol and n-butanol along with small amounts of water, ethy1 acetate and n-buty1 acetate overhead, and water from the based of Column D.