University of California

Bp Chemicals Limited

Mark Zerella

John Glenn Sunley

Sudip Mukhopadhyay

Alexis T Bell

Sander Gaemers

Andrew Richard Lucy

Brian Ellis

Philip Howard

Michael James Muskett

Acetic acid is produced by oxidation of methane with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of an acid selected from concentrated sulfuric acid and fuming sulfuric acid, a palladium-containing catalyst and a promoter, preferably a copper or iron salt. The addition of a promoter and Oto a system that includes a palladium-containing catalyst such as PdClincreases the rate of acetic acid formation from methane by more than an order of magnitude as compared with prior art and, in addition, inhibits the precipitation of Pd black.

Process for direct oxidation of methane to acetic acid

Acetyl anhydrides such as acetyl sulfate are produced by a process for comprising contacting methane and carbon dioxide in an anhydrous environment in the presence of effective amounts of a transition metal catalyst and a reaction promoter, and an acid anhydride compound, and optionally an acid. The acetyl anhydride can be contacted with water to produce acetic acid or with an alcohol to produce a product comprising an acetate ester and that may also comprise acetic acid. Optionally, water in stoichiometric amounts or less, with respect to the acetic anhydride, may be fed to a continuous process of this type to produce some acetic acid in situ.

Process for production of acetyl anhydrides and optionally acetic acid from methane and carbon dioxide

Growing community of inventors

Berkeley, CA, United States of America

Mark Zerella