Union Carbide Corporation

Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Technology Corporation

George L O'Connor

Steven W Kaiser

James H McCain, Jr

John Robert Briggs

Bernard Duane Dombek

Madan Mohan Bhasin

William J Bartley

Kenneth E Atkins

Leonard Kaplan

John H Robson

Wellington E Walker

Robert M Manyik

A process for the higher selective production of acetic acid by the catalytic oxidation with oxygen of ethane, or ethylene, or mixtures thereof, in contact with a mixed catalyst composition containing (A) a calcined mixed oxides catalyst of the formula:

Acetic acid from ethane, ethylene and oxygen

Aldehydes can be converted to dienes by contacting the aldehydes with a non-zeolitic molecular sieve. Preferably the non-zeolitic molecular sieve has, in its calcined form, an adsorption of isobutane of at least about 2 percent by weight of the non-zeolitic molecular sieve at a partial pressure of 500 torr and a temperature of 20.degree. C. The non-zeolitic molecular sieves can achieve good conversion rates and selectivities for the reaction. The reaction is especially useful for the conversion of 2-methylbutyraldehyde to isoprene.

Process for the production of dienes

High selectivity to monoalkylene glycol is obtained by contacting in an associated moiety-forming zone alkylene oxide and a selectivity enhancing, dissociatable metalate anion under conditions sufficient to associate at least a portion of the alkylene oxide with metalate anion, and then contacting the associated moiety with water in a glycol-forming zone to form alkylene glycol. The alkylene glycol can be separated from metalate anion. Desirably, the metalate anion can be recycled to the associated moiety-forming zone.

Preparation of monoalkylene glycols in two stages

A homogeneous catalytic process wherein a gaseous or vaporized reactant stream is continuously introduced into a liquid phase mixture containing (a) a volatile precious metal catalyst, and (b) methanol and/or ethanol as reactant or reaction product, at least a portion of the volatile precious metal being continuously removed from the liquid phase mixture by the effluent gas and/or vapor stream, and such effluent stream is an integral component of a cyclic process stream and/or a vent stream discharged from the process. The improvement is concerned with recovery of the volatilized precious metal and returning it to the liquid phase mixture which comprises passing one or both of said cyclic or vent streams through a liquid body of alcohol selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol and mixtures thereof at a temperature sufficiently low to effect the removal of at least a portion of the precious metal contained in said stream, and thereafter periodically or continuously introducing to the liquid phase mixture at least a portion of said liquid body containing the recovered precious metal.

Process for recovering volatile precious metals

A process for the selective preparation of two-carbon atom oxygenated hydrocarbons, namely acetic acid, ethanol, and acetaldehyde, by continuously contacting a reaction mixture containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide with a rhodium metal catalyst, at a combination of reaction conditions correlated so as to favor the formation of a substantial proportion of these products.

Process for producing acetic acid, ethanol, and acetaldehyde from

A heterogeneous process for selectively producing acetamides in which the acyl nitrogen is otherwise bonded to methyl, ethyl, hydrogen or combinations thereof which comprises contacting a mixture of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and a nitrogen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of ammonia, nitric oxide and mixtures thereof with a heterogeneous solid catalyst comprising rhodium and manganese. The acetamides of the invention are formed in a collective amount of at least 25 weight percent of the total amide products of the reaction.

Production of acetamides with rhodium-manganese catalysts

This invention relates to the manufacture of such valuable chemicals as polyhydric alcohols, their ether and ester derivatives, oligomers of such alcohols and their ether and ester derivatives by reacting hydrogen and oxides of carbon in the presence of a rhodium carbonyl complex and a compound of aluminum.

Promoting propylene glycol formation with compounds of aluminum

Alkadienols are prepared by reacting a conjugated diolefin, such as butadiene, with water in the presence of palladium or platinum catalyst and in the presence of solvents. The addition of carbon dioxide to the reaction mixture greatly increases the yield of alkadienols. The products can be hydrogenated to saturated alcohols, useful for making plasticizers.

Growing community of inventors

Charleston, WV, United States of America

George L O'Connor