To provide a method for refining propylene oxide containing methyl formate as an impurity, having such an excellent characteristic as to be capable of obtaining propylene oxide with reduced methyl formate concentration through effectively separating and removing methyl formate as the impurity.
The method for refining propylene oxide containing methyl formate as the impurity comprises the following process: propylene oxide to be refined is subjected to extractive distillation with a 7-10C hydrocarbon as extractant, water is added to a distillate from the overhead of an extractive distillation column for the extractive distillation to carry out an oil/water separatory operation, the resulting oil layer separated is recycled to the extractive distillation column, while the aqueous layer separated is removed out of the system, and the objective propylene oxide with reduced methyl formate concentration is obtained as bottoms in the extractive distillation column.
OKU NORIAKI
Toru Nakayama
Masayuki Enomoto