Davy Process Technology Limited

Johnson Matthey Davy Technologies Limited

Plaxica Limited

David Mark Sutton

Andrew George Hiles

Graham Reed

Edward Leslie Marshall

Adrian Francis Backes

John Anthony Stannard

Alan Keasey

A process for the production of carboxylic acid esters by reaction of a carboxylic acid selected from mono-, di- and polycarboxylic acids, with an alcohol in the presence of water of solution comprising the steps of: (a) providing a solution comprising the carboxylic acid and the water of solution; (b) reacting the solution of the carboxylic acid in an esterification zone with an alcohol to form an ester and water of esterification; (c) removing the water of solution and the water of esterification; and (d) recovering the ester.

Process for the production of esters of mono-, di- or polycarboxylic acids

A process for the production of an ether optionally with a diol and/or a lactone, by reaction of a corresponding organic feed material selected from unsaturated dicarboxylic acids and/or anhydrides, mono-esters of unsaturated dicarboxylic acids and/or anhydrides, diesters of unsaturated dicarboxylic acids and/or anhydrides, unsaturated lactones, and mixtures of two or more thereof in the presence of hydrogen which comprises the steps of-(a) supplying a stream comprising at least a portion of the organic feed material to a pre-reactor zone comprising catalyst and operating under reaction conditions and contacting said feed with a hydrogen containing stream such that at least some of the carbon carbon double bonds are saturated; (b) vaporising the at least partly saturated feed into the hydrogen containing stream in a vaporizing zone; (c) supplying the hydrogen-containing stream containing the vaporized at least partially saturated feed to a reaction zone comprising catalyst and operating under reaction conditions; (d) recovering from the reaction zone a product stream comprising the ether and optionally diol and/or lactone; and (e)recycling depleted hydrogen-containing stream to at least the pre-reactor zone or the vaporization zone.

Process for the production of ethers

A process is described for the co-production of maleic anhydride and at least one Ccompound selected from butane-1,4-diol, &#x3b3;-butyrolactone, and tetrahydrofuran in which maleic anhydride is produced by partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon feedstock selected from Chydrocarbons and benzene to yield a vaporous reaction effluent stream comprising maleic anhydride, water, unconverted hydrocarbon feedstock, and carbon oxides. A part of the maleic anhydride present in the vaporous reaction effluent stream is condensed to form a crude maleic anhydride stream and leave a residual vaporous stream containing residual amounts of maleic anhydride. Further maleic anhydride is absorbed from the residual vaporous stream by absorption in an organic solvent, water or an aqueous solution. Maleic anhydride is then recovered from the loaded liquid absorptions medium. Said at least one Ccompound is produced by hydrogenation of a Chydrogenation feedstock selected from maleic anhydride, maleic acid, dialkyl maleates, and mixtures of two or more thereof. The process is characterised in that material of the crude maleic anhydride stream is used as the Chydrogenation feedstock or is used to prepare the Chydrogenation feedstock.

Process for the simultaneous production of maleic anhydride and its hydrogenated derivatives

A process is described for the production of ethers, typically terahydrofuran, by reaction of a corresponding organic feed material selected from dicarboxylic acids and/or anhydrides, monoesters of dicarboxylic acids and/or anhydrides, diesters of dicarboxylic acids and/or anhydrides, lactones, and mixtures of two or more thereof in the presence of hydrogen which comprises the steps of: (a) supplying a stream comprising the organic feed material to a first vaporisation zone and contacting said feed with cycle gas comprising hydrogen such that at least a portion of the feed material is vaporised by and into the cycle gas; (b) supplying at least a portion of the cycle gas and the vaporised feed material to a first reaction zone comprising catalyst and operating under reaction conditions to allow hydrogenation and dehydration to occur; (c) recovering from the first reaction zone an intermediate product stream comprising unreacted feed material, cycle gas, desired product(s), and any co-products and by-products; (d) supplying the intermediate product stream to a second vaporisation zone and contacting it with additional feed material such that the said additional feed material is vaporised by and into the intermediate product stream; (e) supplying the product of step (d) to a subsequent reaction zone comprising catalyst and operating under reaction conditions to allow hydrogenation and, if required, dehydration to occur; and (f) recovering from the subsequent reaction zone a product stream comprising the ether.

Process for the production of ethers, typically thf

A process is described for the co-production of maleic anhydride and at least one C compound selected from butane-1,4-diol, &ggr;-butyrolactone, and tetrahydrofuran in which maleic anhydride is produced by partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon feedstock selected from C hydrocarbons and benzene to yield a vaporous reaction effluent stream comprising maleic anhydride, water, unconverted hydrocarbon feedstock, and carbon oxides. A part of the maleic anhydride present in the vaporous reaction effluent stream is condensed to form a crude maleic anhydride stream and leave a residual vaporous stream containing residual amounts of maleic anhydride. Further maleic anhydride is absorbed from the residual vaporous stream by absorption in an organic solvent, water or an aqueous solution. Maleic anhydride is then recovered from the loaded liquid absorptions medium. Said at least one C compound is produced by hydrogenation of a C hydrogenation feedstock selected from maleic anhydride, maleic acid, dialkyl maleates, and mixtures of two or more thereof. The process is characterised in that material of the crude maleic anhydride stream is used as the C hydrogenation feedstock or is used to prepare the C hydrogenation feedstock.

Growing community of inventors

Kingston Upon Thames, United Kingdom

David Mark Sutton