3987.  WRIGHTSON, J. M. (M. W. Kellogg Co.). Separation of organic Compounds. United States Patent 2,583,620, Jan. 29, 1952; appl. filed June 28, 1947, serial No. 757,912; 16 claims (Cl. 260-450).

To separate the mixture of hydrocarbons and oxygenated organic compounds present in the oil product obtained from the condensation of the reactor gases produced in the catalytic hydrogenation of CO, it is first extracted with a glycol solvent for the oxygenated organic compounds present in the oil. Glycols, which boil higher than the oxygenated compounds under extraction, such as ethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, or 1, 6,-hexanediol are preferred. The extract, comprising oxygenated organic compounds and a minor portion of hydrocarbons and a raffinate made up of a major portion of hydrocarbons, is distilled to recover the solvent and the mixture of oxygenated organic compounds and hydrocarbons remaining is contacted with a light alcohol treating agent to form a minimum boiling azeotrope with the hydrocarbons. Suitable alcohols are MeOH, EtOH, and PrOH. The resulting mixture of alcohol-hydrocarbon azeotropes and oxygenated organic compounds is distilled to separate the latter constituent from the azeotropes which are then extracted with H₂O and a raffinate comprising the separated hydrocarbons. This extract is next distilled to separate the alcohol from the H₂O, the former being recycled to the 2d distillation step and the latter to the 2d extraction step. The raffinate from the 1^st extraction step is itself extracted with H₂O to obtain an extract comprising the solvent treating agent and H₂O and a raffinate made up of the separated hydrocarbons. The solvent treating agent is separated from the H₂O and a raffinate made up of the separated hydrocarbons. The solvent treating agent is separated from the H₂O by distillation and both are returned to process.