Degussa - Huls Ag

Arteva North America S.a.r.l.

James Seay Brown

Charles L Liotta

Charles A Eckert

Georg Thiele

Jeffrey Scott Hurley

David Anthony Schiraldi

Heather Patrick Lesutis

Shane A Nolan

Jie Lu

Brandon C Eason

Karen Chandler

David Rene Lamb

The esterification of a carboxylic or polycarboxylic acid, such as terephthalic acid, with ethylene oxide is conducted in the presence of a supercritical or near critical fluid with an esterification catalyst to form a monoester such as 2-hydroxyethylterephthalate (MHET). The monoester can be easily removed from the involatile terephthalic acid/catalyst bed by continuous extraction with supercritical fluid before subsequent reaction to the diester occurs. The esterification catalyst, such as quaternary ammonium salts, are at least substantially insoluble in the supercritical fluid and capable of withstanding prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures. The process is highly selective to formation of monoesters, and economical. The process can be modified for production of bis-esters or higher esters. The monoesters are polymerizable and can be used as monomers in the production of polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate.

Method for esterification of carboxylic or polycarboxylic acid in the presence of supercritical fluids and catalysts therefor

A process for the production of an epoxide and/or its corresponding vicinal diol by a reaction of an olefinic compound with hydrogen peroxide, wherein the reaction is performed in the presence of a carbon dioxide phase at a temperature and a pressure above the critical point of carbon dioxide.

Process for the epoxidation of olefinic compounds

Growing community of inventors

Atlanta, GA, United States of America

James Seay Brown