PATENT

3796. ----- VAN DER WAALS, J. H.  (Shell Development Co.)   Separation of Oxygenated Organic Compounds.  United States Patent 2,644,006, June 30, 1953.; appl. filed Mar. 7, 1949; Serial No. 80,104; 10 claims (Cl. 260-450).

Claim 1.  A process of extracting H₂O-insoluble, oxyhydrocarbon compounds containing from 4-10 C atoms per molecule from a lower boiling range fraction of H₂O-insoluble products obtainable by the catalytic synthesis of hydrocarbons from a mixture of CO and H₂, utilizing the Fischer-Tropsch process, which process comprises subjecting a portion of said fraction of products to intimate contact with counter flowing solvent bodies of an extracting agent, comprising a major proportion of formic acid and of a liquid hydrocarbon having a substantially higher boiling range than the boiling range of the hydrocarbons present in said fraction of products, a minor proportion of H₂O, based on the formic acid, being added to the system of counterflowing solvent bodies at least at one point thereof during said contacting operation, separating resulting extract and raffinate phases, and recovering oxyhydrocarbon compounds from the separated extract phase.