Abstract
Beckmann rearrangement of cyclohexanone oxime dissolved in cyclooctane with oleum to ¿-caprolactam was demonstrated in a microreactor setup with internal recirculation operated in continuous mode. The core of the setup comprised a 316 stainless-steel micromixer consisting of 17 split-and-recombine units connected to a delay loop, a 316 stainless-steel microchannel reactor with an internal diameter of 0.250¿mm and a length of 0.50¿m. At 100¿°C, the conversion of cyclohexanone oxime was complete and the selectivity towards ¿-caprolactam was approximately 99¿%. The solvent cyclooctane reduces the observed purity of the produced oleum/¿-caprolactam. This reduction in purity might be a severe hurdle for usage of a solvent on the industrial scale in the Beckmann rearrangement of cyclohexanone oxime in oleum to ¿-caprolactam.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1387-1394 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Chemical Engineering & Technology |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |