21  5,648,520  22  1.  A process for the fractionation and purification of  aromatic polyamine mixtures comprising:  What is claimed is:  Although the invention has been described in detail in the  foregoing for the purpose of illustration, it is to be under- stood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that  variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art  without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention  except as it may be limited by the claims.  and is guided towards an organic phase (P) in a further  extractor  (6)  acting in multi-stage manner at 90°  C.  (P) is in  The aqueous phase (K) leaving the extractor  (5)  has the  following average composition  The polyamine fraction (0) is collected in the tank  (11)  as  a second part product.  The stream  (L) which is washed and liberated from acid  esters is then separated in a first distillation stage  (8.1)  into  a first distillate fraction (M) which comprises virtually  xylene with an aniline content of  ~  1  %  [Stream  (M)  (2.033  kg/h)], and a distillation bottom product which in a second  distillation step is separated into a second distillate fraction  (N) which comprises virtually aniline [Stream (N) (1.953  kg/h)] and a distillation residue (0) comprising polyamine  [Stream (0) (0.896 kg/h)].  For safety, the washed stream (L) is washed with dilute  sodium hydroxide. The aqueous phase is disposed of as  effluent.  Stream (L) is washed in the washing stage  (8.0)  with  water (0.600  kg/h) as  part  of stream (X). The washing water  is supplied to the aqueous stream (H) by way of stream  (Y).  The aqueous phase (S) resulting in the distillation stage  (9)  is supplied to the extraction stage (  4)  and in the present  case is identical as to volume and composition to the  aqueous stream (C) used there.  The organic phase (stream L) thus resulting and leaving  the extraction stage (5) has the following composition:  The water distilled off in  (9)  together with the water  separated mechanically in the distillation stages  (7.1)  and  (8.1)  is used to wash the organic phase (D) in  (7.0)  and the  organic phase (L) in  (8.0).  The resulting washing waters are  combined in stream  (Y) and are added to the aqueous stream  (H)  before the latter enters the extraction stage  (5).  In  a subsequent distillation stage  (9)  water is removed  from the aqueous phase (  Q)  by distillation  in  the form of the  stream  (X) [Stream (X) (0.815 kg/h)].  After admixing stream (Y) (0.908 kg/h) the resulting  aqueous phase is extracted in countercurrent with an organic  phase (stream  J)  in an extractor (5) acting in multi-stage  manner at  90°  C.  The aqueous phase (Q) resulting in (6) has the following  average composition:  The stream (J) is formed from stream (R) by admixing a  partial stream of (N) (1,523 kg/h).  The aqueous phase  (H)  leaving the extraction stage (  4)  has the following average composition:  The distillate streams  (E) and (F) together with a part  volume of 0.430 kg/h from stream  (N) form the stream (B).  In  the second distillation stage  (7 .2),  the remaining aniline  (stream  F) is separated from the bottom phase of  (7.1).  The  distillation bottoms remaining from stage  (7.2)  are consti› tuted by a polyamine mixture which is collected in the tank  (10)  at a rate of 0.704 kg/h as stream (G).  Stream (D) which is washed and liberated from acid esters  is liberated from xylene and some of the aniline in a first  distillation stage  (7.1).  Some of the water is separated  mechanically from the distillate stream (E) and is added to  stream (X).  In this procedure the stream  (R)  results as the organic  phase  the present case identical as to volume and composition to  the first distillate fraction  (M)  from distillation stage  (8.1).  Stream  (R)  (2.677 kg/h)  ;:;o.2% polyarylamine  24.8%  aniline  74.2% xylene  <l.0% water.  Stream  (Q)  (5.865  kgih)  0.6% polyarylamine  17.1% aniline  6.8% hydrochloric acid  75.5% water.  Stream  (H)  (6.341 kgih)  14.8% polyary !amine  22.6%  aniline  6.2% hydrochloric acid  56.4% water.  Stream  (J)  ( 4.200 kg/h)  52.1 % aniline  47.3% xylene  ;:;o.6% water  Stream  (L)  ( 4.940 kgih)  18.1 % polyarylamine  39.0%  aniline  40.2% xylene  ;:;0.1 % hydrochloric acid  ;:; 1.6% water.  Polyary !amine  A  G  N  2,2’-diaminodiphenylmethane  0.50  1.15  2,4’-diaminodipheny!methane  11.60  25.45  0.70  4,4’-diaminodiphenylmethane  51.50  35.50  64.10  N-methyl-4,4’-diaminodiphenylmethane  0.40  0.90  <0.10  L-diaminodiphenylmethane  64.00  63.00  64.80  L-polynuclear polyamines  36.00  37.00  35.20  Qnantitative distribution  100%  44.0%  56.0%  Stream (K)  (6.509 kgih)  0.6% polyary!amine  25.3%  aniline  6.1 % hydrochloric acid  68.0% water  a) mixing the polyamine starting mixture in a first extraction  stage with a two-phase system comprising  (i) a hydrophobic solvent phase which consists essentially  of hydrophobic solvent and optionally an aromatic  auxiliary amine which is substantially insoluble in  water and exhibits at normal pressure a boiling point  which is at least 20°  C.  below the boiling point of the  lowest-boiling component of the starting mixture and at  least  20°  C. above the boiling point of the solvent, and  optionally polyamine, and  (ii) an aqueous phase consisting essentially of water, a  strong acid and auxiliary amine present at least in part  in the salt form, and optionally polyamines present at  least in part in the salt form, 