| abstract |
A process for extracting and recovering a homogeneous ruthenium catalyst from a hydrogenation reaction product of glycolic acid, glycolate esters, and / or glycolic acid oligomers with an extraction solvent comprising a hydrophobic solvent and an optional hydrophilic solvent is disclosed. A ruthenium catalyst, which may comprise a 1,1,1-tris (diaryl- or dialkylphosphinomethyl) alkane ligand, is recovered from the hydrophobic extract phase by reverse extraction with a hydrophilic solvent and glycolic acid and glycolic acid derivatives It can be recycled to the production process of ethylene glycol by hydrogenation of. |