Saudi Basic Industries Corporation

Sd Lizenzverwertungsgesellschaft Mbh & Co Kg

Jaap Willem Van Hal

Xiankuan Zhang

John S Ledford

Scott A Stevenson

David L Sullivan

Travis Conant

William Crudge

Jim Allman

Dorai Ramprasad

The disclosure is for a process for producing propylene and hexene (along with ethylene, pentenes, product butenes, heptenes and octenes) by metathesis from butenes (iso-, 1- and cis and trans 2-) and pentenes and then aromatizing the hexenes (along with higher olefins, such as heptenes and octenes) to benzene (along with toluene, xylenes, ethylbenzene and styrene). Since the desired products of the metathesis reaction are propylene and hexene, the feed to the metathesis reaction has a molar ratio for 1-butene:2-butene which favors production of propylene and 3-hexene with the concentration of hexenes and higher olefins in the metathesis product being up to 30 mole %. An isomerization reactor may be used to obtain the desired molar ratio of 1-butene:2-butene for the feed composition into the metathesis reactor. After the metathesis reaction, of hexene and higher olefins are separated for aromatization to benzene and other aromatics.

Process for producing propylene and aromatics from butenes by metathesis and aromatization

The invention is for a process for producing propylene and hexene (along with ethylene, pentenes, product butenes, heptenes and octenes) by metathesis from butenes (iso-, 1- and cis and trans 2-) and pentenes and then aromatizing the hexenes (along with higher olefins, such as heptenes and octenes) to benzene (along with toluene, xylenes, ethylbenzene and styrene). Since the desired products of the metathesis reaction are propylene and hexene, the feed to the metathesis reaction has a molar ratio for 1-butene:2-butene which favors production of propylene and 3-hexene with the concentration of hexenes and higher olefins in the metathesis product being up to 30 mole %. An isomerization reactor may be used to obtain the desired molar ratio of 1-butene:2-butene for the feed composition into the metathesis reactor. After the metathesis reaction, of hexene and higher olefins are separated for aromatization to benzene and other aromatics.

A solid (i.e., heterogeneous) catalyst useful for preparing an alkylene glycol from the corresponding alkylene oxide as well as a process for the catalytic hydration of an alkylene oxide to an alkylene glycol utilizing such a catalyst are provided. The catalyst of the present invention is based on an ion exchange resin including polystyrene crosslinked with from about 2 to about 10 weight (wt.) % divinyl benzene. The ion exchange resin further includes quaternary ammonium groups or quaternary phosphonium groups. The process includes reacting water and an alkylene oxide in at least one reactor under conditions to form an alkylene glycol, wherein the at least one reactor includes a catalyst based on an ion exchange resin that includes polystyrene crosslinked with from about 2 to about 10 weight (wt.) % divinyl benzene.

Solid catalyst useful for converting an alkylene oxide to an alkylene glycol

A catalytic process for preparing a monoalkylene glycol from a corresponding alkylene oxide utilizing an ion exchange resin and a reactor in which an upflow process is used is provided. In particular, the process includes reacting water and an alkylene oxide in at least one reactor under conditions to form an alkylene glycol, wherein the at least one reactor includes an ion exchange resin and the reactor is operating in an upflow direction.

Process for preparing an alkylene glycol

Disclosed is a process for the preparation of alkylene glycols from the corresponding alkylene oxide, such as ethylene glycol from ethylene oxide, in the presence of water, a catalyst and, optionally, carbon dioxide. The catalyst is a SALEN-type compound which contains an amino group and an oxy or hydroxy group connected by a hydrocarbon, such as an alkyl or an alkylaryl. The SALEN-type compounds may be Schiff bases, i.e., a condensate product of a primary amine with an aldehyde, ketone or an alcohol. The SALEN-type compound may be a mono or bis compound and may be complexed with a Group 4-14 metal, such as aluminum, tin, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt or platinum.

Process for the preparation of alkylene glycols

Disclosed is a process for the preparation of alkylene glycols from the corresponding alkylene oxide, such as ethylene glycol from ethylene oxide, in the presence of water, a catalyst and, optionally, carbon dioxide. The catalyst contains an amphoteric compound, such as such as (ethylenedinitrilo) tetraacetic acid (EDTA). These befunctional compounds have both acid and base moieties. Preferably, a compound useful in the present invention forms a buffered solution in water, i.e., the acid and base moieties do not completely disassociate. The pH of the buffered solution should be 2-10, preferably 5-10, more preferably 4-9. A compound useful in the present invention is preferably organic with the base moiety and the acid moiety being separated by one to four carbon atoms.

Disclosed is a process for the preparation of alkylene glycols from the corresponding alkylene oxide, such as ethylene glycol from ethylene oxide, in the presence of water, a catalyst and, optionally, carbon dioxide. The catalyst contains amines which are weak bases, specifically having pKof at least 5.5, preferably 8 to 11. The amines may be primary, secondary, tertiary or a blend thereof or may be a compound having a structural combination of primary, secondary and/or tertiary amines.

Water tolerant Lewis acids are used in a process for the preparation of alkylene glycols by catalytic hydration of the corresponding alkylene oxide. The water tolerant Lewis acids can be a metal salt of a non-coordinating or weakly coordinating anion and a Group IIIB, rare earth or lanthanide, actinide or Group IVB cation. Optionally, carbon oxide may also be present. Examples of such water tolerant Lewis acids are scandium triflate, europium triflate, hafnium triflate, yttrium triflate, lanthanum triflate and ytterbium triflate. The catalyst may contain a coordinating anion instead, examples of which are scandium sulfate [Sc(SO)], scandium chloride [ScCl], scandium acetate [Sc(OAc)] and scandium nitrate [Sc(NO)]. The catalysts may also contain both a non-coordinating or weakly coordinating anion and a coordinating anion, examples of which are scandium triflate sulfate [Sc(CFSO) (SO)], scandium triflate chloride [Sc(CFSO)Cl], scandium triflate acetate [Sc(CFSO)(OAc)] and scandium triflate nitrate [Sc(CFSO)(NO)].

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Fresno, TX, United States of America

Jaap Willem Van Hal