Appeal 1997-1635
Application 08/319,667
9. According to applicants, however, the prior
art process involving use of amines leads to undesirable
deposits in distillation columns (specification, page 3,
lines 18-27).
10. Applicants sought to minimize deposits
(specification, page 2, lines 34-40).
11. Applicants say they accomplish minimal deposits
by use of an organic sulfonic acid and/or a salt thereof along
with an amine.
12. According to applicants, the organic sulfonic acid
"is *** added to the crude (meth)acrylic acid before the
treatment by distillation" (specification, page 4, lines 1-4).
13. Apparently, the organic sulfonic acid is
preferably added shortly before distillation of a mixture
containing methacrylic acid, primary amine and aldehydes
(specification, page 4, lines 13-22).
14. However, applicants also tell us that the
organic sulfonic acid may be added before or simultaneous with
the addition of the primary amine (specification, page 4,
lines 22-24).
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