P
USRE44206EExpiredUtilityPatentIndex 42

Oxidation process for the production of carboxylic acids and alkenes

Assignee: FERGUSON EWEN JAMESPriority: Jun 5, 2003Filed: May 16, 2011Granted: May 7, 2013
Est. expiryJun 5, 2023(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:FERGUSON EWEN JAMESLUCY ANDREW RICHARDROBERTS MARK STEPHENTAYLOR DIANA RACHELWILLIAMS BRUCE LEO
Y02P20/582C07C 51/215C07C 67/04C07C 51/25C07C 67/05C07C 53/08C07C 51/295
42
PatentIndex Score
1
Cited by
11
References
33
Claims

Abstract

An oxidation process for the production of alkenes and carboxylic acids from a feed comprising alkene and/or alkane, carbon monoxide, a molecular oxygen containing gas and optionally water in the presence of an oxidation catalyst in which the level of carbon monoxide is maintained between 1% and 20% by volume of the total feed to the reactor.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for the oxidation of a C 2 to C 4  alkane to produce the corresponding alkene and carboxylic acid and/or for the oxidation of a C 2  to C 4  alkene to produce the corresponding carboxylic acid, which process comprises feeding to an oxidation reaction zone said alkane and/or alkene, a molecular oxygen-containing gas, carbon monoxide, and optionally water, in the presence of a catalyst active for the oxidation of the alkane to the corresponding alkene and carboxylic acid and/or active for the oxidation of the alkene to the corresponding carboxylic acid, to produce a first product stream comprising alkene and carboxylic acid, characterised in that said carbon monoxide is maintained at between 1% and 20% by volume of the total feed to the oxidation reaction zone, wherein the C 2 -C 4  alkane is ethane, the C 2  to C 4  alkene is ethylene and the carboxylic acid is acetic acid. 
     
     
       2. A process according to  claim 1  which further comprises contacting in a second reaction zone at least a portion of said alkene and at least a portion of said carboxylic acid obtained from the oxidation reaction zone, and a molecular oxygen-containing gas, in the presence of at least one catalyst active for the production of alkenyl carboxylate to produce a second product stream comprising alkenyl carboxylate, wherein the alkenyl carboxylate is vinyl acetate. 
     
     
       3. A process according to  claim 1  which further comprises contacting in a second reaction zone at least a portion of said alkene, at least a portion of said carboxylic acid obtained from the oxidation reaction zone and, optionally, water, in the presence of at least one catalyst active for the production of alkyl carboxylate to produce a second product stream comprising alkyl carboxylate, wherein the alkyl carboxylate is ethyl acetate. 
     
     
       4. A process according to  claim 1  wherein the carbon monoxide is fed to the oxidation reaction zone as a fresh gas and/or as a recycle gas. 
     
     
       5. A process according to  claim 1  wherein the first product stream comprises carbon monoxide. 
     
     
       6. A process according to  claim 5  wherein at least 90% of the carbon monoxide present in the first product stream is recycled to the oxidation reaction zone. 
     
     
       7. A process according to  claim 2  wherein the second product stream comprises carbon monoxide. 
     
     
       8. A process according to  claim 7  wherein carbon monoxide is separated from the second product stream and recycled to the oxidation reaction zone. 
     
     
       9. A process according to  claim 1  wherein the amount of carbon monoxide in the feed (as fresh and/or recycle gas) is maintained above 2.5% by volume of the total feed. 
     
     
       10. A process according to  claim 9  wherein the amount of carbon monoxide is maintained above 5% by volume of the total feed. 
     
     
       11. A process according to  claim 9  wherein the amount of carbon monoxide is maintained in the range above 5% by volume to 20% by volume of the total feed. 
     
     
       12. A process according to  claim 9  wherein the amount of carbon monoxide is maintained in the range above 5% by volume to 15% by volume of the total feed. 
     
     
       13. A process according to  claim 1  wherein the amount of carbon monoxide in the feed (as fresh and/or recycle gas) is maintained below 15% by volume of the total feed. 
     
     
       14. A process according to  claim 13  wherein the amount of carbon monoxide is maintained in the range above 5% by volume to below 15% by volume of the total feed. 
     
     
       15. A process according to  claim 13  wherein the amount of carbon monoxide is maintained in the range above 5% by volume to 10% by volume of the total feed. 
     
     
       16. A process according to  claim 1  wherein the C 2 -C 4  alkane is ethane, the C 2  to C 4 alkene is ethylene and the carboxylic acid is acetic acid. 
     
     
       17. A process according to  claim 1  wherein ethane and ethylene are fed to the oxidation reaction zone. 
     
     
       18. A process according to  claim 1  wherein each of the alkane and alkene is fed to the oxidation reaction zone as fresh feed and/or as a recycle component. 
     
     
       19. A process according to  claim 1  wherein the concentration of alkane (as fresh feed and recycle component) is from 0 to 90 mol % of the total feed to the oxidation reaction zone. 
     
     
       20. A process according to  claim 1  wherein the concentration of alkene (as fresh feed and recycle component) is from 0 to 50 mol % of the total feed to the oxidation reaction zone. 
     
     
       21. A process according to  claim 1  in which water is fed to the oxidation zone as fresh feed and/or recycle component in a concentration in the range greater than 0 to 50 mol % of the total feed. 
     
     
       22. A process according to  claim 1  wherein the mel mol ratio of alkene to carboxylic acid in the first product stream is approximately 1:1. 
     
     
       23. A process according to  claim 2  wherein the alkenyl carboxylate is vinyl acetate. 
     
     
       24. A process according to  claim 2  wherein additional alkene and/or additional carboxylic acid is fed to the second reaction zone. 
     
     
       25. A process according to claim 2 wherein the concentration of alkene fed to the oxidation reaction zone is less than 20 mol % of the total feed and/or the concentration of alkene fed to the second reaction zone is greater than 50 mol % of the total feed. 
     
     
       26. A process according to  claim 2  wherein the concentration of alkene fed to the second reaction zone is at least 60 mol % of the total feed. 
     
     
       27. A process according to  claim 25  or  claim 26  wherein the alkene is ethylene. 
     
     
       28. A process according to  claim 2  wherein the second reaction zone is a fixed bed or a fluidised bed reactor. 
     
     
       29. A process according to  claim 3  wherein the alkyl carboxylate is ethyl acetate. 
     
     
       30. A process according to  claim 3  or  claim 29  wherein water is fed to the second reaction zone in an amount in the range 1 to 10 mol % of the total feed. 
     
     
       31. A process according to  claim 1  wherein the oxidation reaction is carried out at a temperature in the range 100 to 400° C. 
     
     
       32. A process according to  claim 1  wherein the total amount of inert impurities present in the alkene and/or alkane feed to the oxidation reactor is in the range 0 to 3 vol %. 
     
     
       33. A process according to  claim 1  wherein the total amount of reactive impurities present in the alkene and/or alkane feed to the oxidation reactor is in the range 0 to 10 vol %.

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