Lyondell Chemical Technology, L.p.

Arco Chemical Technology, L.p.

Jay F Miller

Robert N Cochran

Peter J Whitman

Roger A Grey

Bernard Cooker

Beaven S Mandimutsira

John H Speidel, Jr

Eric John Beckman

Vu Anh Dang

Te Chang

Mark P Kaminsky

Sarah Emma Jones

John H Spiedel

The invention is a process for epoxidizing an olefin with hydrogen and oxygen in a solvent comprising acetonitrile in the presence of an quinone-acid salt and a catalyst comprising a titanium zeolite and a noble metal. The process results in higher productivity and improved selectivity to propylene oxide from hydrogen and oxygen, as compared to processes that use only a quinone.

Direct epoxidation process

This invention is a process for producing propylene oxide. The process comprises first contacting a titanium zeolite with a reaction feed comprising propylene, hydrogen peroxide, tertiary butyl alcohol, and water to produce a product stream comprising propylene, propylene oxide, propylene glycol, tertiary butyl alcohol, and water. The product stream is distilled to produce a first overhead stream comprising propylene and a first bottoms stream comprising propylene oxide, propylene glycol, tertiary butyl alcohol, and water. The first bottoms stream is distilled to produce a second overhead stream comprising propylene oxide and a second bottoms product stream comprising propylene glycol, tertiary butyl alcohol, and water. The second bottoms stream is distilled to produce a third overhead stream comprising an azeotrope of tertiary butyl alcohol and water and a third bottoms stream comprising propylene glycol and water.

Epoxidation process

Titanium-MWW zeolite is prepared by heating a gel formed from a titanium compound, a silicon source, a boron source, an MWW-templating agent, and water at a temperature in the range of 35&#xb0; C. to 75&#xb0; C. for a period of 8 to 30 hours to form a pre-crystallized gel, and heating the pre-crystallized gel to a temperature in the range of 160&#xb0; C. to 190&#xb0; C. for a period of 5 or more days to form the titanium-MWW zeolite. The zeolite, after it is contacted with an acid, is useful in olefin epoxidation with hydrogen peroxide.

Process for making titanium-MWW zeolite

A process is provided for the production of alkylene oxide by catalytic reaction of olefin, hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of promoting buffer salts, the improvement wherein the buffer salts are recovered by electrodialysis and/or crystallization and recycled to the catalytic reaction.

Alkylene oxide process

The invention is a catalyst comprising a titanium or vanadium zeolite, a binder, and zinc oxide, wherein the catalyst is preparing an aqueous mixture of the zeolite, a binder source, and a zinc oxide source, and subjecting the mixture to rapid drying. The catalyst is useful in olefin epoxidation.

Epoxidation catalyst

A catalyst comprising a transition metal zeolite and a supported noble metal is disclosed. The mean mass diameter of the catalyst is greater than 0.5 mm. The catalyst is formed from transition metal zeolite particles and the supported noble metal particles each having a mean mass diameter of less than 0.1 mm. An epoxidation process by reacting an olefin, hydrogen, and oxygen in the presence of the catalyst is disclosed.

Direct epoxidation catalyst and process

The invention is a process for epoxidizing an olefin with hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising a noble metal and a titanium or vanadium zeolite in a solvent mixture comprising water, methanol, and a C&#x2013;Caliphatic ketone. This process surprisingly gives significantly reduced by-product glycol and glycol ethers formed by the unwanted ring-opening of epoxides.

Phosphine and/or phosphine oxide promoters are effectively separated from propylene oxide reaction solvents through use of a membrane effective to retain the phosphine and/or phosphine oxide.

Separation process

Phenol is formed by reaction of oxidant and benzene over a solid catalyst such as Pd on TS-1, the reaction being carried out in carbon dioxide solvent at conditions effective to provide a dense phase reaction mixture.

Dense phase oxidation of benzene

Propylene oxide is formed by reaction of propylene with molecular oxygen in a high boiling solvent containing slurried solid catalyst, the light components are flashed and the remaining liquid containing slurried catalyst is recycled.

Propylene oxide process

Oxidation products are recovered from a mixture of the products in a dense phase or supercritical solvent by a liquid&#x2014;liquid extraction at dense phase conditions.

Growing community of inventors

Chester Springs, PA, United States of America

Jay F Miller