| abstract |
A process for the preparation of ε-caprolactone comprising: n (a) reacting cyclohexanone with a solution of perpropionic acid in an organic solvent at a molar ratio of cyclohexanone;perpropionic acid of about 1.1-5:1 at a temperature of about 10° to 80° C. to form a reaction mixture consisting essentially of ε-caprolactone, propionic acid and organic solvent, n (b) distilling the reaction mixture from (a) in a first distillation unit to obtain a distillate comprising the organic solvent and a distillation residue, n (c) introducing the distillation residue from (b) at a point into a second distillation unit to obtain a distillate comprising propionic acid and unreacted cyclohexanone, removing from the second distillation unit, separately from one another and at a point below the point of introduction into the second distillation unit, ε-caprolactone and any high-boiling constituents, and, n (d) distilling in a third distillation unit the distillate from (c) to obtain a distillate consisting essentially of propionic acid and a distillation residue comprising a mixture of propionic acid and cyclohexanone. |