A process for the production of 2-alkylalkanol from an aldehyde is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of: feeding aldehyde to a reactor (42) operated under condensation and dehydration conditions such that reaction occurs and an unsaturated aldehyde is produced; recovering a stream from the reactor (42) comprising the unsaturated aldehyde and feeding said stream to a first hydrogenation reactor (45) operated under conditions such that at least some of the unsaturated aldehyde is converted to 2-alkylalkanol; recovering the stream from the first hydrogenation reactor (45) comprising the 2-alkylalkanol, one or more of unreacted acrolein, alkylalkenol and alkylalkanal and heavies; passing the stream recovered from the first hydrogenation reactor (45) to a first distillation zone (48) where at least some of the heavies are separated from the stream; recovering a stream from the first distillation zone (48) comprising the 2-alkylalkanol, one or more of unreacted acrolein, alkylalkenol and alkylalkanal, said stream having a reduced heavies content when compared to the stream fed to the first distillation zone (48), and feeding said stream to a second hydrogenation reactor (51) operated under conditions such that at least one of the unreacted acrolein, alkylalkenol and alkylalkanal are converted to 2-alkylalkanol; and recovering a stream from the second hydrogenation reactor (51) comprising an increased 2-alkylalkanol content compared to the stream fed to the second hydrogenation reactor (51).
本发明公开了一种从醛生产2-烷基醇的方法。该方法包括以下步骤:将醛送入在缩合和脱
水条件下操作的反应器(42),使反应发生并产生不饱和醛;从反应器(42)中回收包含不饱和醛的流,并将该流送入第一氢化反应器(45),在条件下操作,使至少一部分不饱和醛转化为2-烷基醇;从第一氢化反应器(45)中回收包含2-烷基醇、未反应的
丙烯醛、烷基烯醇和烷基醛以及重质的流;将从第一氢化反应器(45)回收的流经过到第一蒸馏区(48),至少分离出一部分重质;从第一蒸馏区(48)中回收包含2-烷基醇、未反应的
丙烯醛、烷基烯醇和烷基醛的流,与送入第一蒸馏区(48)的流相比,其重质含量降低,并将该流送入第二氢化反应器(51),在条件下操作,使未反应的
丙烯醛、烷基烯醇和烷基醛之一转化为2-烷基醇;从第二氢化反应器(51)中回收包含比送入第二氢化反应器(51)的流更高的2-烷基醇含量的流。