Process for the purification of tetrahydrofuran

摘要: Tetrahydrofuran is recovered by a two stage distillation procedure from crude hydrogenation product resulting vapor phase of diethyl maleate and containing water, ethanol minor amount n-butanol, possibly also dissolved hydrogen, in addition to butane-1,4-diol, gamma-butyrolactone "heavies" such as ethoxysuccinate. In the first stage, conveniently operated substantially at atmospheric pressure, ethanol, tetrahydrofuran are overhead product, condensed separate condensible components hydrogen stream which can be vented, then redistilled presence molar excess hydroxylic solvent least hydroxyl groups, second zone. Pure zone, while bottom therefrom stripped third zone tetrahydrofuran, water recycled