| abstract |
process for the preparation of glycols this is an invention that provides a continuous process for the preparation of ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol from the starting material comprising one or more saccharides, wherein said process is carried out in a reactor system comprising a reactor vessel equipped with an external recycling loop, and said process comprises the steps of: i) supplying the starting material in a solvent, through an inlet, to the external recycling loop, and contacting it here with a composition of retroaldol catalyst to provide an intermediate stream; ii) then contacting said intermediate stream with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst composition in the reactor vessel; iii) extracting a product stream comprising glycols from the reactor vessel; iv) providing a portion of said product stream, via an outlet, for separating and purifying the glycols contained therein; and v) recycling the remainder of said product stream through the external recycling loop. |