| abstract |
The invention provides a process for the purification of a butane-1,4-diol feed containing a minor amount of the cyclic acetal, 2-(4'-hydroxybutoxy)-tetrahydrofuran, which comprises hydrogenating the butane-1,4-diol feed in a hydrogenation zone in the presence of a minor amount of water and of a hydrogenation catalyst, and recovering from the hydrogenation zone a butane-1,4-diol product that has a reduced 2-(4'-hydroxybutoxy)-tetrahydrofuran content compared with the butane-1,4-diol feed. |