Celanese International Corporation

Other

Celanese Gmbh

Velocys Corp.

Bioengineering Resources, Inc.

Hoechst Celanese Corporation

Bioethanol Holdings, Inc.

Leslie E Wade

Barbara F Kimmich

Ching-Whan Ko

James L Gaddy

Tao Wang

Edgar C Clausen

Carl V Wikstrom

Valery Sokolovskii

Alfred Hagemeyer

David M Lowe

Yumin Liu

Ioan Nicolau

Anthony F Volpe

Karin Yaccato

Jun Han

Victor Wong

Victor J Johnston

Anna Lee Tonkovich

Terry Joseph Mazanec

Sean P Fitzgerald

Thomas D Yuschak

Bin Yang

Francis P Daly

Kai Jarosch

Michael E Huckman

Tony Hammock

James A Foster

Daniel Lindley

Jerry A Broussard

James L Paul

Jerry D Unruh

André Harmen Sijpkes

Roelandus Hendrikus Wilhelmus Moonen

Wendell L Pieper

The present invention addresses at least four different aspects relating to catalyst structure, methods of making those catalysts and methods of using those catalysts for making alkenyl alkanoates. Separately or together in combination, the various aspects of the invention are directed at improving the production of alkenyl alkanoates and VA in particular, including reduction of by-products and improved production efficiency. A first aspect of the present invention pertains to a unique palladium/gold catalyst or pre-catalyst (optionally calcined) that includes rhodium or another metal. A second aspect pertains to a palladium/gold catalyst or pre-catalyst that is based on a layered support material where one layer of the support material is substantially free of catalytic components. A third aspect pertains to a palladium/gold catalyst or pre-catalyst on a zirconia containing support material. A fourth aspect pertains to a palladium/gold catalyst or pre-catalyst that is produced from substantially chloride free catalytic components.

Layered support material for catalysts

The invention provides methods, apparatus and chemical systems for making vinyl acetate from ethylene, oxygen, and acetic acid.

Process and apparatus for improved methods for making vinyl acetate monomer (VAM)

Halide free precurors for catalysts

Rhodium containing catalysts

The present invention relates to a method of producing a catalyst or pre-catalyst suitable for assisting in the production of alkenyl alkanoates. The method includes contacting a modifier precursor to a support material to form a modified support material. One or more catalytic component precursors (palladium or gold) may be contacted to the modified support material. The atomic ratio of gold to palladium is preferably in the range of about 0.3 to about 0.90. The support materials with the catalytic component may then be reduced using a reducing environment. A composition for catalyzing the production of an alkenyl alkanoates including a modified support material with palladium and gold is also included within the invention. Catalysts of the present invention may be used to produce alkenyl alkanoates in general and vinyl acetate in particular and are useful to produce low EA/VA ratios while maintaining or improving COselectivity.

Modified support materials for catalysts

A modified water-immiscible solvent useful in the extraction of acetic acid from aqueous streams is a substantially pure mixture of isomers of highly branched di-alkyl amines. Solvent mixtures formed of such a modified solvent with a desired co-solvent, preferably a low boiling hydrocarbon, are useful in the extraction of acetic acid from aqueous gaseous streams. An anaerobic microbial fermentation process for the production of acetic acid employs such solvents, under conditions which limit amide formation by the solvent and thus increase the efficiency of acetic acid recovery. Methods for the direct extraction of acetic acid and the extractive fermentation of acetic acid also employ the modified solvents and increase efficiency of acetic acid production. Such increases in efficiency are also obtained where the energy source for the microbial fermentation contains carbon dioxide and the method includes a carbon dioxide stripping step prior to extraction of acetic acid in solvent.

Microbial process for the preparation of acetic acid, as well as solvent for its extraction from the fermentation broth

A modified water-immiscible solvent useful in the extraction of acetic acid from aqueous streams is a substantially pure mixture of isomers of highly branched di-alkyl amines. This solvent is substantially devoid of mono-alkyl amines and alcohols. Solvent mixtures formed of such a modified solvent with a desired cosolvent, preferably a low boiling hydrocarbon which forms an azeotrope with water are useful in the extraction of acetic acid from aqueous gaseous streams. An anaerobic microbial fermentation process for the production of acetic acid employs such solvents, under conditions which limit amide formation by the solvent and thus increase the efficiency of acetic acid recovery. Methods for the direct extraction of acetic acid and the extractive fermentation of acetic acid also employ the modified solvents and increase efficiency of acetic acid production. Such increases in efficiency are also obtained where the energy source for the microbial fermentation contains carbon dioxide and the method includes a carbon dioxide stripping step prior to extraction of acetic acid in solvent.

Microbial process for the preparation of acetic acid as well as solvent for its extraction from the fermentation broth

A process for synthesis gas conversion utilizing perovskite catalysts is disclosed herein. The perovskites utilized in the process have a carbon selectivity of about eight mol percent or more for oxygenated compounds containing one to six carbon atoms. The process comprises reacting synthesis gas in the presence of a perovskite catalyst in the temperature range of about 200.degree. C. to about 400.degree. C.

Synthesis gas conversion with perovskite catalysts

In a process for hydroformylating an olefin in the presence of a catalyst comprising rhodium in complex combination with carbon monoxide and a triorganophosphorus ligand, progressive deactivation of the catalyst, as well as loss of the ligand species through by-product formation, are reduced by continuously stripping the liquid reaction medium to a degree such that the content of high-boiling organophosphorus by-products therein is maintained at a low level such that the ratio of phosphorus contained in said high-boiling by-products to phosphorus contained in the ligand present in the reaction medium does not exceed about 0.2.

Reduction of catalyst deactivation in processes for hydroformylation of

In hydroformylating an ethylenically-unsaturated compound to produce a formyl-substituted derivative using as catalyst rhodium hydrido carbonyl in complex combination with a disphosphino ligand, a high ratio of the normal aldehyde to the iso-aldehyde in the product can be obtained even at very low ratios of ligand to rhodium in the catalyst mixture by using as the ligand a cyclic compound having in the ring two adjacent carbon atoms between the trans position of which the minimum and maximum attainable dihedral angels are, respectively, at least about 90.degree. and not more than about 180.degree., each of these adjacent carbon atoms being substituted with a phosphinomethyl group, the phosphinomethyl groups being in trans relationship to one another. If there are maintained in the reaction zone at least about 1.5 moles of the ligand per atom of rhodium, the desired results are obtained and higher ligand:rhodium ratios are not necessary.

Hydroformylation using improved catalysts comprising rhodium and

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Corpus Christi, TX, United States of America

Leslie E Wade