Iridium catalysts for carbonylation

Abstract

A solid catalyst comprising an effective amount of iridium and at least one second metal selected from gallium, zinc, indium and germanium associated with a solid support material is useful for vapor phase carbonylation to produce carboxylic acids and esters from alkyl alcohols, esters, ethers or ester-alcohol mixtures. The iridium and at least one second metal are deposited on a support material. In some embodiments of the invention, the catalyst is useful for vapor phase carbonylation.

1 . A carbonylation catalyst comprising an effective amount of iridium and at least one second metal selected from gallium, zinc, indium and germanium wherein the iridium and the at least one second metal are associated with a solid support material comprising activated carbon. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The carbonylation catalyst of  claim 1  wherein the catalyst includes from about 0.01 weight percent to about 10 weight percent each of the iridium and the at least one second metal. 
     
     
         5 . The carbonylation catalyst of  claim 1  wherein the catalyst includes from about 0.1 weight percent to about 3 weight percent each of the iridium and the at least one second metal. 
     
     
         6 . The carbonylation catalyst of  claim 1  wherein the molar ratio of the at least one second metal to iridium is from about 0.1:1 to about 10:1. 
     
     
         7 . The carbonylation catalyst of  claim 1  wherein the molar ratio of the at least one second metal to iridium is from about 0.5:1 to about 5:1. 
     
     
         8 . The carbonylation catalyst of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one vaporous halogen promoting component selected from hydrogen halides, gaseous hydrogen iodide, alkyl and aryl halides having up to 12 carbon atoms, iodine, bromine, chlorine, and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
         9 . The carbonylation catalyst of  claim 8  wherein the at least one vaporous halogen promoting component is selected from hydrogen iodide, methyl iodide, ethyl iodide, 1-iodopropane, 2-iodobutane, 1-iodobutane, hydrogen bromide, methyl bromide, ethyl bromide, benzyl iodide and combinations of two or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
         10 . The carbonylation catalyst of  claim 8  wherein the at least one vaporous halogen promoting component is selected from hydrogen iodide, methyl iodide, hydrogen bromide, methyl bromide and combinations of two or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
         11 . A carbonylation catalyst comprising from about 0.01 weight percent to about 10 weight percent each of iridium and at least one second metal selected from gallium, zinc, indium and germanium wherein the iridium and at least one second metal are associated with a solid support material comprising activated carbon. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The carbonylation catalyst of  claim 11  wherein the molar ratio of the at least one second metal to iridium is from about 0.5:1 to about 5:1. 
     
     
         15 . The carbonylation catalyst of  claim 11  wherein the catalyst includes from about 0.1 weight percent to about 3 weight percent each of the iridium and the at least one second metal. 
     
     
         16 . The carbonylation catalyst of  claim 11  wherein the molar ratio of the at least one second metal to iridium is from about 0.1:1 to about 10:1. 
     
     
         17 . The carbonylation catalyst of  claim 11  further comprising at least one vaporous halogen promoting component selected from hydrogen halides, gaseous hydrogen iodide, alkyl and aryl halides having up to 12 carbon atoms, iodine, bromine or chlorine, and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
         18 . The carbonylation catalyst of  claim 17  wherein the at least one vaporous halogen promoting component is selected from hydrogen iodide, methyl iodide, ethyl iodide, 1-iodopropane, 2-iodobutane, 1-iodobutane, hydrogen bromide, methyl bromide, ethyl bromide, benzyl iodide and combinations of two or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
         19 . The carbonylation catalyst of  claim 17  wherein the at least one vaporous halogen promoting component is selected from hydrogen iodide, methyl iodide, hydrogen bromide, methyl bromide and combinations of two or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
         20 . A method for preparing a solid supported catalyst composition useful for vapor phase carbonylation, the method comprising:
 a) providing a solid support material comprising activated carbon;   b) contacting the solid support material with a solution containing iridium and at least one second metal selected from gallium, zinc, indium and germanium to form a solid supported catalyst composition, wherein the iridium and the at least one second metal are associated with the solid support material; and   c) drying the solid support material wherein from about 0.01 weight percent to about 10 weight percent of the iridium and at least one second metal are associated with the solid supported catalyst composition, wherein weight percent of each metal is determined as the weight of atoms of that particular metal based on the total weight of the solid supported catalyst composition.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising contacting the solid support material with a solution having at least one second component selected from I 2 , Br 2 , Cl 2 , hydrogen iodide, methyl iodide, ethyl iodide, 1 iodopropane, 2 iodobutane, 1 iodobutane, methyl bromide, ethyl bromide, benzyl iodide and combinations of two or more of the foregoing.