To provide a method for producing propylene oxide, by which cumene is repeatedly used, formation of by-product on and after an epoxidation is reduced and a loss of cumene is suppressed to a low level.
The method for producing propylene oxide, by which the concentration of cumene hydroperoxide in a solution containing cumyl alcohol at the end of the epoxidation process is ≤2 wt.%, comprises an oxidation process for oxidizing cumene to give cumene hydroperoxide, the epoxidation process for reacting cumene hydroperoxide obtained by the oxidation process with propylene to give propylene oxide and cumyl alcohol, a dehydration process for dehydrating cumyl alcohol obtained by the epoxidation process in the presence of a solid catalyst to give α-methylstyrene and a hydrogenation process for hydrogenating α-methylstyrene into cumene in the presence of a solid catalyst and recycling cumene as a raw material for the oxidation process into the oxidation process.
ISHINO MASARU
Toru Nakayama
Masayuki Enomoto
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