Exxon Chemical Patents, Inc.

Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.

Larry O Jones

David A Young

James J Baiel

Troy J Campione

Richard Henry Schlosberg

Ramesh R Hemrajani

Paul Hamden Daniels

John Lyford, Iv

Magdiel Agosto

Konstantinos R Rigopoulos

David G Woods

Leonard G Krauskopf

Ralph Donald Gray, Jr

Sun-tsun Fong

Glen W Davis

Pei-Yi Lo

The present invention provides a process for the production of an ester, including reacting an alcohol with a carbonyl-like compound in the presence of a first esterification catalyst; and adding a second esterification catalyst to the reaction mixture at some time after initiation of the esterification reaction. The staged addition of the esterification catalyst according to the present invention provides a reduced reaction time to achieve a targeted conversion to esters.

Optimized catalyst addition to enhance esterification catalyst performance

A process for recovering phthalic anhydride and maleic anhydride from a maleic anhydride-rich vapor phase oxidation product comprising the step of: contacting the vapor phase oxidation product with: (i) at least one by-product stream having a freezing point which is lower than the freezing point of pure phthalic anhydride; and/or (ii) a solvent having a boiling point in the range between about 150.degree. to 350.degree. C. and a freezing point of less than 40.degree. C.; wherein a vapor-to-liquid weight ratio in the range between about 2 to 20 is exhibited within the contacting means, thereby forming a liquid phase phthalic anhydride product having a phthalic anhydride concentration in the range between about 50-100 wt. % and a first vapor stream.

Method for recovering phthalic anhydride/maleic anhydride mixtures by

A process for recovering phthalic anhydride as a liquid from a vapor phase oxidation product which comprises mixing the vapor phase oxidation product having a temperature of about 130.degree. C. or greater with a first stream comprising maleic anhydride, benzoic acid present in an amount of less than 8 mole %, based on the total concentration of the first stream, and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of: citraconic anhydride and phthalic anhydride, in a rectification tower such that a substantial portion of the phthalic anhydride contained within the vapor phase oxidation product transfers from the vapor phase to a liquid phase and a substantial portion of the by-products contained in the first stream which are more volatile than phthalic anhydride transfer from the liquid phase to the vapor phase and wherein a vapor-to-liquid weight ratio in the range between about 2 to 20 is exhibited within the rectification tower, thereby forming a liquid phase phthalic anhydride product having a phthalic anhydride concentration in the range between about 50-100 wt. %.

Liquid phthalic anhydride recovery process using a rectification tower

A process for recovering phthalic anhydride as a liquid from a vapor phase oxidation product which comprises mixing the vapor phase oxidation product having a temperature of about 130.degree. C. or greater with a first stream comprising a solvent having a boiling point in the range between about 150.degree. to 350.degree. C. and a freezing point of less than 40.degree. C., and, optionally, at least one by-product selected from the group consisting of: maleic anhydride, citraconic anhydride, benzoic acid and phthalic anhydride, in a contacting means such that a substantial portion of the phthalic anhydride contained within the vapor phase oxidation product transfers from the vapor phase to a liquid phase and a substantial portion of the first stream which are more volatile than phthalic anhydride transfer from the liquid phase to the vapor phase and wherein a vapor-to-liquid weight ratio in the range between about 2 to 20 is exhibited within the contacting means, thereby forming a liquid phase phthalic anhydride product having a phthalic anhydride concentration in the range between about 50-100 wt. %., preferably 90-100 wt. %, without the formation of an intermediate solid phase.

Solvent assisted process for recovery of phthalic anhydride in the

A process for the formation of esters from at least one phthalic anhydride residue stream produced from the vapor phase oxidation of o-xylene, naphthalene and/or the like which comprises: (a) adding a phthalic anhydride residue stream and a mono-alcohol to a reaction vessel to form a reaction mixture; and (b) heating the reaction mixture and maintaining a pressure sufficient to obtain boiling of the reaction mixture thereby converting any acid and/or anhydride components of the phthalic anhydride residue stream to an ester.

Preparation of plasticizer esters from phthalic anhydride residue

C.sub.3 and higher olefins are oligomerized using a two component catalyst system comprising (a) a soluble adduct of zirconium tetrahalide, the halogen being Br or Cl, with an organic compound selected from the group of esters, ketones, ethers, amines, nitriles, anhydrides, acid chlorides, amides or aldehydes, the organic compound having up to about 30 carbon atoms and (b) an alkyl metal selected from the group R.sub.2 AlX, RAlX.sub.2, R.sub.3 Al.sub.2 X.sub.3, R.sub.3 Al and R.sub.2 Zn where R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl and X is Cl or Br. ZrCl.sub.4 adducts with organic acetates are the preferred embodiments. Dimers, trimers and tetramers are selectively prepared in the process.

Process for oligomerizing C.sub.3 and higher olefins using zirconium

A process for the catalytic or non-catalytic esterification of acids or anhydrides with a mono-alcohol or a polyhydroxy compound which comprises the steps of adding the reagents to a reaction vessel to form a reaction mixture, and heating the reaction mixture and maintaining a pressure sufficient to obtain boiling of the reaction mixture thereby causing esterification and removing water as vapor while continuously mixing the reaction mixture in the reactor vessel such that at least about 2.5 to about 20 volumes of reaction mixture are internally recirculated per minute, whereby the rate of conversion is enhanced.

Process for the production of plasticizer and polyolesters

Linear alpha-olefins are prepared by the oligomerization of ethylene using a two component catalyst system comprising (a) a soluble adduct of zirconium tetrahalide, the halogen being Br or Cl, with an organic compound selected from the group of esters, ketones, ethers, amines, nitriles, anhydrides, acid chlorides, amides or aldehydes, the organic compound having up to about 30 carbon atoms and (b) an alkyl metal selected from the group R.sub.2 AlX. RAlX.sub.2, R.sub.3 Al.sub.2 X.sub.3, R.sub.3 Al and R.sub.2 Zn where R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl and X is Cl or Br. ZrCl.sub.4 adducts with organic acetates are the preferred embodiments.

Process for preparing linear alpha-olefins using zirconium adducts as

Linear alpha-olefins are prepared by the oligomerization of ethylene using a two component catalyst system comprising (a) a soluble adduct of zirconium tetrahalide, the halogen being Br or Cl, with an organic compound selected from the group of esters, ketones, ethers, amines, nitriles, anhydrides, acid chlorides, amides or aldehydes, the organic compound having up to about 30 carbon atoms and (b) an alkyl metal selected from the group R.sub.2 AlX. RalX.sub.2, R.sub.3 Al.sub.2 X.sub.3, R.sub.3 Al and R.sub.2 Zn where R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl and X is Cl or Br. ZrCl.sub.4 adducts with organic acetates are the preferred embodiments.

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Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America

Larry O Jones