To integrally epoxidize an olefin in a high epoxidation selectivity at a low cost by using methanol recovered from an epoxidation reactional mixture as a diluent for a concentrated oxidizing agent stream used for the epoxidation.
(A1) A 3-4C secondary alcohol is reacted with oxygen molecules in the liquid phase to provide an oxidizing agent mixture containing the component A1, (A2) a 3-4C ketone and (A3) H2O2 and the component A2 is then separated therefrom to afford (A) a concentrated H2O2-containing stream containing the components A1 and A3 and <1 wt.% component A2. The resultant stream is then reacted with (B) a 2-4C olefin in the presence of (D) a titanium silicalite catalyst and (E) a methanol-containing diluent to provide an epoxidation reactional mixture containing (F) a 2-4C epoxide, water, (G) methanol and component A1. The component F is further separated from the mixture to afford a crude alcohol stream containing the components A1 and G and <1 wt.% component F. The component G is then separated and recovered therefrom and recycled for use as at least a part of the component E to integrally epoxidize the component B.
JIYON SHII JIYUBIN JIYUNIA
JIEN JII ZAJIYASETSUKU
