Ex parte GUTSCHE et al. - Page 2




            Appeal No. 1996-4087                                                          Page 2              
            Application No. 08/259,362                                                                        


                   According to appellants the invention is directed to a discontinuous                       
            esterification, transesterification, transacetalization or an acetal forming reaction at          
            elevated temperatures, using a fixed bed catalyst.  The steps of the reaction comprise:           
            A.     forming a reaction mixture of the components in a first reaction zone,                     
            B.     transferring the reaction mixture through a fixed bed catalyst, which constitutes          
                   the second reaction zone,                                                                  
            C.     heating the reaction mixture to a desired reaction temperature suitable to remove          
                   one or more volatile reaction products in a third reaction zone,                           
            D.     continuously circulating the reaction mixture through each of the reaction                 
                   zones until the desired degree of reaction completion is obtained.                         


                                                 THE CLAIMS                                                   
                   Claim 13 is illustrative of appellants’ invention and is reproduced below.                 
                   13. A discontinuous process for a heterogeneously catalyzed chemical                       
            reaction which is an esterification reaction, a transesterification reaction, a                   
            transacetalization reaction, or an acetal-forming reaction at an elevated temperature in          
            which at least one heat sensitive reaction product is formed comprising the steps of:             
                   A.    forming a reaction mixture of the components to be reacted in a reaction             
                         zone,                                                                                
                   B.    passing the reaction mixture through a second zone containing a fixed-bed            
                         catalyst,                                                                            
                   C.    passing the reaction mixture through a third zone in which the reaction              
                         mixture is heated to the desired reaction temperature and in which the               
                         more volatile reaction product or products are removed from the                      
                         reaction mixture, and                                                                









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