Appeal No. 1998-1579
Application No. 08/388,532
1. A process for separating sulfone from a paraffin
hydrocarbon alkylation product, including hydrocarbons having
from 3 to 12 carbon atoms, containing a concentration of a
sulfone, said process comprises:
extracting said sulfone from said paraffin hydrocarbon
alkylation product by contacting said paraffin hydrocarbon
alkylation product with water thereby to extract at least a
portion of said sulfone from said paraffin hydrocarbon
alkylation product and to provide an extract stream enriched
with said sulfone and comprising water and a raffinate stream
having a reduced concentration of said sulfone below said
concentration of said sulfone in said paraffin hydrocarbon
alkylation product.
THE REFERENCE
Eastman et al. (Eastman) 5,237,122 Aug. 17,
1993
THE REJECTION
Claims 1-3, 6-9, 11 and 12 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
§ 103 as being unpatentable over Eastman.
OPINION
We reverse the aforementioned rejection.
Eastman defines acid soluble oils (ASO) as “conjunct
polymers which are highly olefinic oils produced by acid-
catalyzed reactions of hydrocarbons” (col. 2, lines 54-58).
The ASO are soluble in Eastman’s hydrogen halide/sulfone
alkylation catalyst and must be removed therefrom to prevent
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