Integrated methods and systems for producing amide and nitrile compounds

Abstract

Provided herein are integrated methods and systems for the production of acrylamide and acrylonitrile compounds and other compounds from at least beta-lactones and/or beta-hydroxy amides.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method comprising:
 contacting a beta propiolactone stream comprising a beta propiolactone compound and an ammonia stream comprising an ammonia compound to form a beta-hydroxy amide stream comprising a beta hydroxy amide compound, wherein the beta-hydroxy amide stream is substantially free of beta-alanine compounds.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the beta propiolactone stream comprises carbonylation catalyst or a residue of a carbonylation catalyst. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the beta propiolactone compound is completely converted to a beta-hydroxy amide compound, a beta-alanine compound, and/or an oligomer. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the beta propiolactone stream further contains an ether solvent. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the ether solvent comprises tetrahydrofuran. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the ammonia compound is anhydrous. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 removing oligomers from the beta-hydroxy amide stream so that the beta-hydroxy amide stream is substantially free of beta-alanine compounds and oligomers.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 contacting an epoxide and carbon monoxide to form the beta propiolactone compound.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 contacting the beta-hydroxy amide stream comprising the beta-hydroxy amide compound with a dehydration agent to produce a product stream comprising an unsaturated amide and/or an unsaturated nitrile.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the dehydration agent comprises first and second dehydration agents. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the first dehydration agent comprises TiO 2 , and the second dehydration agent comprises SiO 2 . 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the beta-hydroxy amide stream is contacted with the first dehydration agent before the second dehydration agent. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the beta-hydroxy amide stream is contacted with the first dehydration agent in a first zone and the second dehydration agent in a second zone. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the zone comprising the TiO 2  operates at a first temperature, and the zone comprising the SiO 2  operates at a second temperature, wherein the first temperature and second temperature are different. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the beta-hydroxy amide stream is contacted with the dehydration agent in presence of a carrier gas. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the carrier gas comprises nitrogen. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the carrier gas comprises ammonia. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the beta-hydroxy amide stream is combined an alcohol solvent and an ether solvent before contacting the dehydration agent. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising:
 polymerizing the unsaturated nitrile to form a polymer.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 polymerizing the unsaturated amide to form a polymer.