448. ------. [CROMEANS, J. S.] (Phillips Petroleum Co.). Recovery of Organic Compounds From Aqueous Carbon Oxide Hydrogenation Product. United States Patent 2,555,185, May 29, 1951; appl. filed Dec. 19, 1949, Serial No. 133,905; 7 claims (Cl. 202-57).

Patent Abstracts

448. ------. [CROMEANS, J. S.] (Phillips Petroleum Co.). Recovery of Organic Compounds From Aqueous Carbon Oxide Hydrogenation Product. United States Patent 2,555,185, May 29, 1951; appl. filed Dec. 19, 1949, Serial No. 133,905; 7 claims (Cl. 202-57).

Process for recovering oxygenated organic compounds from the aqueous phase resulting from the catalytic hydrogenation of CO, which comprises distilling this aqueous phase at a temperature below the boiling point of H₂O to obtain an overhead fraction containing alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, 0.1-2.0 wt. % organic acids and 10-15 vol. % H₂O. The overhead product is then charged to a 2d fractionation column and distilled in such a manner that the aldehydes, ketones, MeOH and EtOH pass overhead and organic acids, propylbutyl, and amyl-alcohol are in the lower part of the distillation zone. At a point sufficiently below the feed point that aldehydes are not present, NaOH in an aqueous solution is introduced into the column to neutralize all the acids in the feed. Thus the products are recovered substantially free of organic acids.