Bp Chemicals Limited

Mark Julian Howard

Michael David Jones

A process for the production of a carboxylic acid and/or a carboxylic acid anhydride which process comprises contacting a reaction composition comprising an alcohol and/or a carboxylic acid ester, optionally water, a first hydrocarbyl halide and/or a hydrocarbyl ether reactant and a second hydrocarbyl halide promoter, the first and second hydrocarbyl halides being the same or different, with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst comprising an insoluble imidazole-containing resin supporting a Group VIII metal species.

Carbonylation process

A carbonylation process which comprises (a) contacting, in a first carbonylation reactor at elevated temperature and pressure, an alcohol having n carbon atoms and/or a reactive derivative thereof with carbon monoxide in a liquid reaction composition comprising a halogen and/or halogen compound promoter and a Group VIII noble metal carbonylation catalyst to produce a carbonylation product comprising a carboxylic acid having n+1 carbon atoms and/or an ester of the carboxylic acid having n+1 carbon atoms and the alcohol having n carbon atoms and/or any anhydride of the carboxylic acid having n+1 carbon atoms, (b) withdrawing from the first carbonylation reactor, an off-gas stream comprising carbon monoxide and optionally halogen and/or halogen compound promoter, and optionally carbonylation production; and (c) contacting in a second carbonylation reactor, the withdrawn off-gas stream with an alcohol having m carbon atoms and/or reactive derivative thereof in the presence of a halogen and/or halogen compound promoter and a heterogenous carbonylation catalyst comprising a supported Group VIII noble metal to produce a further carbonylation product comprising a carboxylic acid having m+1 carbon atoms and/or an ester of the carboxylic acid having m+1 carbon atoms and the alcohol having m carbon atoms and/or an anhydride of the carboxylic acid having m+1 carbon atoms.

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North Humberside, United Kingdom

Mark Julian Howard