Patents
The present invention relates to an improved process for the production of cyclopentane from light petroleum fraction. This invention also relates to the separation of cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons (naphthenes) from close boiling paraffinic hydrocarbons (paraffins). Cyclopentasne is separated from close boiling paraffins by extractive distillation using a selective solvent. The feed is optimized so as to minimize the concentration of higher boiling components (2-methyl pentane, 3-methyl pentane, 2,2-dimethyl butane and 2,3-dimethyl butane) and maximize the concentration and recovery of Cyclopentane in the optimized boiling range of the feed.