Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.

Eddy T A Van Driessche

Ronald Dean Garton

Raphael Frans Caers

Arie Van Vliet

Allen David Godwin

Hubertus Joseph Beckers

Nicolaas Anthony De Munck

Philippe Louis Buess

Kenneth Joseph Buturla

James T Ritchie

Corey W Reed

Edwin Kooke

Alfons Cuyckens

Michel J P Lepagnol

Bertrand Raymond Da Cruz

A process for production of Cto Cesters by the esterification of a carboxylic acid or anhydride with a Cto Calcohol including forming a reaction mixture of the acid or anhydride and the Cto Calcohol including a stoichiometric excess of the alcohol is provided.

Processes for the production of esters

The present invention relates to alcohols and in particular to Cto Calcohols that are used in the production of esters.

Processes relating to alcohols for the production of esters

An improved hydroformylation catalyst cycle is disclosed wherein the cobalt catalyst is recycled to the hydroformylation reaction mainly as a water soluble carbonyl salt, obtained from extraction of the acidic form of the homogeneous cobalt carbonyl catalyst from the hydroformylation product with an aqueous solution of a salt of a weaker acid. The organic product after extraction is submitted to a further demetalling step in the presence of a dilute acid and an oxidant. The water from this further demetalling step is suitable for use in the upstream extraction step. A free water phase present in the hydroformylation reaction product may be separated upstream from the extraction step and is suitable for use in the further demetalling step, such that the catalyst cycle has no waste water stream.

Hydroformylation process including catalyst recycle

In the hydroformylation of C5-C14 olefins with cobalt catalyst to produce C6-C15 oxygenates, where offgasses from the hydroformylation or cobalt removal step contain volatile cobalt compounds, the cobalt compounds are recovered by scrubbing the offgas with a liquid, and recycling the liquid to the cobalt removal step. Suitable scrubbing liquids are the organic cobalt-depleted hydroformylation reaction product or a downstream derivative thereof, or an aqueous solution of a Cosalt, preferably such salt of formic acid.

Offgas cleanup in olefin hydroformylation

Oxidative recovery methods that use oxygen or air for recovery of homogeneous metal catalysts, such as cobalt catalysts, used in for example hydroformylation processes, can be hazardous. Explosive or flammable gas mixtures may be generated inside the process equipment, which can deflagrate upon any ignition source such as a static electricity discharge. The use of a flammable diluent has been found to be a very effective way of optimizing the recovery method, by bringing the resulting gas mixtures above their upper flammability limit. The offgas produced is then also easier to dispose of as a fuel, as compared to when a non-flammable diluent is used.

Oxidative demetalling

In a hydroformylation reaction, the circulation and recovery of cobalt carbonyl in a cobalt catalyst cycle using carbonylate as an intermediate and acidification thereof, is improved by supplying an aqueous sulfuric acid solution containing less than 16% wt of sulfuric acid to the carbonylate to control sulfuric acid concentration in the carbonylate/acid mixture, before accounting for any acid consuming reaction, to a value of from 2% to 10% by weight. Single step and multistage liquid/liquid extraction techniques as well as vapor/liquid extraction techniques followed by the absorption of cobalt from the vapor in an organic liquid both benefit from this improvement.

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Eeklo, Belgium

Eddy T A Van Driessche