To produce dimethylformamide (DMF) from dimethylamine (DMA) and carbon monoxide (CO).
Anhydrous DMA and CO are continuously fed to a specialized reactor (1), operating at moderate conditions and containing a catalyst dissolved in solvent. The reactor products are sent to a separation system where crude product is vaporized (2) to separate the spent catalyst. Excess DMA and catalyst solvent are stripped (3) from the crude product and recycled back to the reaction system. Vacuum distillation (4) followed by further purification (5) produces a high-quality solvent and fiber-grade DMF product. A saleable byproduct stream is also produced.
Yields: Greater than 95% on raw materials. CO yield is a function of its quality.
Licensor: Davy Process Technology, UK
