Lucite International UK Limited

Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation

Other

David William Johnson

Graham Ronald Eastham

Martyn Poliakoff

Thomas Andrew Huddle

John David Scott

Ian Andrew York

Gill Stephens

Mark Waugh

Trevor Huw Morris

Adam Cullen

Samuel David Jackson

Gordon James Kelly

Brian Peter Williams

Wataru Ninomiya

Raymond Anthony Hadden

Toshio Hasegawa

Sabina Ziemian

Adrianus Johannes Jozef Straathof

Michael Beaumont

Jonathan Ainsley Iggo

Zoe Bethany Clare Disley

Marco Wilhemus Fraaije

Graham Flanagan

William John Metheringham

Remko Tsjibbe Winter

Brian Douglas Smith

Marco Wilhelmus Fraaije

Luca Rossoni

Russel Menchavez

Laura Martins

Zoe Disley

Jonathan Runnacles

Kazufumi Nishida

The invention discloses a catalyst comprising a silica support, a modifier metal and a catalytic alkali metal. The silica support has a multimodal pore size distribution comprising a mesoporous pore size distribution having an average pore size in the range 2 to 50 nm and a pore volume of said mesopores of at least 0.1 cm/g, and a macroporous pore size distribution having an average pore size of more than 50 nm and a pore volume of said macropores of at least 0.1 cm/g. The level of catalytic alkali metal on the silica support is at least 2 mol %. The modifier metal is selected from Mg, B, Al, Ti, Zr and Hf. The invention also discloses a method of producing the catalyst, a method of producing an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or ester in the presence of the catalyst, and a process for preparing an ethylenically unsaturated acid or ester in the presence of the catalyst.

Catalyst and a process for the production of ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids or esters

The present invention relates to a process for the production of methyl methacrylate. The process of the present invention comprises the steps of: a) providing a microorganism in a fermentation medium, under conditions which said microorganism will produce a C-Cmethacrylate ester; b) providing an organic phase in contact with the fermentation medium, said organic phase including C-Cmethacrylate ester in a higher concentration than that in the fermentation medium; c) removing organic phase containing the said C-Cmethacrylate ester from contact with the fermentation medium; and d) transesterifying the removed C-Cmethacrylate ester with methanol, optionally after separation from the organic phase, to produce methyl methacrylate.

Process for the production of methyl methacrylate

A catalyst has a modified silica support and comprises a modifier metal, zirconium and/or hafnium, and a catalytic metal on the modified support. The catalyst has at least a proportion, typically, at least 25%, of modifier metal present in moieties having a total of up to 2 modifier metal atoms. The moieties may be derived from a monomeric and/or dimeric cation source. A method of production:

The invention relates to methods for the production of methacrylates using methacrylate tolerant microorganisms.

Methods for the production of methacrylates

A catalyst has a modified silica support and comprises a modifier metal, zirconium and/or hafnium, and a catalytic metal on the modified support. The catalyst has at least a proportion, typically, at least 25%, of modifier metal present in moieties having a total of up to 2 modifier metal atoms. The moieties may be derived from a monomeric and/or dimeric cation source. A method of production:&#x2014;

The present invention relates to a process for the production of an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or ester, preferably &#x3b1;,&#xdf; ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids or esters, by the liquid phase reaction of formaldehyde or a suitable source thereof with a non-cyclic carboxylic acid ester in the presence of a basic metal salt.

Process for the production of ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids or esters

A method of extracting (meth)acrylic acid from an aqueous reaction medium into an organic phase in contact therewith is described. The aqueous reaction medium is formed from at least one base catalyst and at least one dicarboxylic acid selected from maleic, fumaric, malic, itaconic, citraconic, mesaconic, and citramalic acid or mixtures thereof in aqueous solution and contains the base catalyzed decarboxylation products of the base catalyzed reaction. The method includes either the addition of at least one of the said dicarboxylic acids and/or a pre-cursor thereof to the aqueous reaction medium to enhance the solvent extraction of the (meth)acrylic acid into the organic solvent or maintaining the level of base catalyst to dicarboxylic acid and/or pre-cursor at a sub-stoichiometric level during the extraction process. The method extends to a process of producing (meth)acrylic acid, its esters and polymers and copolymers thereof.

Process for the production of (meth)acrylic acid and derivatives and polymers produced therefrom

The invention includes a process of producing methyl methacrylate or derivatives thereof is described. The process includes the steps of converting 2-butanone to methyl propionate using a Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase, and treating the methyl propionate produced to obtain methyl methacrylate or derivatives thereof. A method of preparing polymers or copolymers of methyl methacrylate or its derivatives is also described.

A method of extracting (meth)acrylic acid from an aqueous reaction medium into an organic phase in contact therewith is described. The aqueous reaction medium is formed from at least one base catalyst and at least one dicarboxylic acid selected from maleic, fumaric, malic, itaconic, citraconic, mesaconic, and citramalic acid or mixtures thereof in aqueous solution and contains the base catalysed decarboxylation products of the base catalysed reaction. The method includes either the addition of at least one of the said dicarboxylic acids and/or a pre-cursor thereof to the aqueous reaction medium to enhance the solvent extraction of the (meth)acrylic acid into the organic solvent or maintaining the level of base catalyst to dicarboxylic acid and/or pre-cursor at a sub-stoichiometric level during the extraction process. The method extends to a process of producing (meth)acrylic acid, its esters and polymers and copolymers thereof.

Process for the production of (meth)acrylic acid and derivatives and polyers produced therefrom

A process for the production of methacrylic acid is described. The process comprises the base catalysed decarboxylation of at least one or a mixture of dicarboxylic acids selected from itaconic, citraconic or mesaconic acid. The decarboxylation is carried out in the range greater than 240 and up to 275&#xb0; C. to provide high selectivity. The methacrylic acid product may be esterified to produce an ester. A method of preparing polymers or copolymers of methacrylic acid or methacrylic acid esters using the process is also described. Optionally, the process may be preceded with a decarboxylation and, if necessary, a dehydration step on a source of pre-acid such as citric acid or isocitric acid.

Process for the production of methacrylic acid and its derivatives and polymers produced therefrom

The invention relates to a catalyst for the reaction of formaldehyde with a carboxylic acid or ester to produce an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or ester, preferably &#x3b1;, &#x3b2; ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids or ester. The catalyst includes a metal oxide having at least two types of metal cations, Mand M, wherein Mis at least one metal selected from group 3 or 4 in the 4to 6periods of the periodic table, group 13 in the 3to 5periods of the periodic table, or the remaining elements in the lanthanide series and Mis at least one metal selected from group 5 in the 5or 6periods of the periodic table or group 15 in the 4or 5periods of the periodic table. The production includes reacting formaldehyde with a carboxylic acid or esterin the presence of the catalyst effective to catalyze the reaction.

Mixed oxide catalyst and a process for the production of ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids or esters

A method of producing a compound of formula (i): wherein R=H or CHthe method comprising exposing a source of a compound of formula (ii) to reaction conditions of temperature and pressure: formula (ii) wherein R is defined as above wherein, when R=CH, the source of a compound of formula (ii) is exposed to reaction conditions of temperature and pressure while being in a liquid phase. 

Method of producing arcylic and methacrylic acid

A process for purifying methyl methacrylate (MMA) is described. The process involves contacting liquid MMA having impurities therein with a sulphonic acid resin, in the presence of formaldehyde or a suitable source of methylene or ethylene of formula I. Rand Rare independently selected from C-Chydrocarbons or H; X is either O or S; n is an integer from, 1 to 100; and m is 1 or 2: The compound of formula I may be suitable source of formaldehyde. 

Methyl methacrylate purification process

A production process for the manufacture of ethylenically unsaturated acids or esters thereof is described. The process includes the steps of reaction of an alkanoic acid, or ester of an alkanoic acid, of the formula R&#x2014;CH&#x2014;COOR4 where Rand Rare each independently hydrogen or an alkyl group, in the presence of a catalyst system to produce an ethylenically unsaturated acid or ester product. The process is characterised in that the acid or ester product is subsequently contacted with a dienophile to thereby remove discolouration therefrom. An ethylenically unsaturated acid or ester crude product purification process is also described.

Production of ethylenically unsaturated acids or esters thereof

The production of ethylenically unsaturated acids or esters by the catalytic reaction of an alkanoic acid or ester, especially methyl propionate, with formaldehyde, and a catalyst therefor wherein the catalyst comprises a porous high surface area silica containing 1&#x2013;10% by weight of an alkali metal, especially cesium (expressed as a metal) and having compounds of at least one modifier element selected from boron, magnesium, aluminium, zirconium and hafnium dispersed in the pores of said silica in such amount that the catalyst contains a total of 0.25 to 2 gram atoms of primary modifier element per 100 moles of silica.

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Redcar, United Kingdom

David William Johnson