| abstract |
The invention relates to a method for producing 1,6-hexanediol and caprolactone, preferably of at least 99.5% purity, which are especially substantially free from 1,4 cyclohexanediols, starting from a carboxylic acid mixture which is obtained as a byproduct of the catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanone/cyclohexanol with oxygen or gases containing oxygen and by extraction of the reaction mixture with water, and by hydrogenation of the carboxylic acid mixture, esterification and hydrogenation of a partial flow to hexanediol and cyclization of 6-hydroxycaproic ester, the 1,4-cyclohexanediols being removed either during fractionation of the esterification mixture or finally from the caprolactone. |