Eastman Chemical Company

Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Davy Mckee (london) Limited

Michael W Tuck

Michael A Wood

John Scarlett

Andrew George Hiles

Andrew G Hiles

Colin Rathmell

Philip H Eastland

Richard C Spratt

Process for the production of 1,4-butanediol, .gamma.-butyrolactone and

Process for preparing gamma-butyrolactone, butane-1, 4-diol and

A process is described for the production of a hydroxylic compound selected from alcohols and diols by hydrogenation of a corresponding hydrogenatable material selected from monoesters of carboxylic acids, monoesters of dicarboxylic acids, diesters of dicarboxylic acids, lactones, and mixtures of two or more thereof which comprises: (a) providing a hydrogenation zone containing a charge of a granular heterogeneous ester hydrogenation catalyst; (b) supplying to the hydrogenation zone a vaporous feed stream containing hydrogen and a hydrogenatable material selected from monoesters of carboxylic acids, monoesters of dicarboxylic acids, diesters of dicarboxylic acids, lactones, and mixtures of two or more thereof, at an inlet temperature which is above the dew point of the mixture; (c) maintaining the hydrogenation zone under temperature and pressure conditions which are conducive to effecting hydrogenation of esters; (d) recovering from the hydrogenation zone a two phase product stream containing a hydroxylic compound selected from alcohols and diols at an exit temperature which is below its dew point. In a preferred process the hydrogenatable material comprises dimethyl cyclohexanedicarboxylate.

Hydrogenation process for the preparation of alcohols and diols

A continuous process is described for the production of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) having a desired or predetermined trans-:cis- isomer ratio by catalytic hydrogenation of a dialkyl 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate in the presence of an ester hydrogenation catalyst. The process is capable of being operated for an extended period of time during which the hydrogenation catalyst declines in catalytic activity and comprises feeding a vaporous mixture of the dialkyl 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate and hydrogen to a hydrogenation zone containing the hydrogenation catalyst and recovering CHDM product. The degree of conversion of the dialkyl 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate at a particular combination of temperature and pressure is related to the trans-:cis- isomer ratio of the CHDM product and may be varied by adjusting at least one feed condition selected from (i) the dialkyl 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate feed rate and (ii) the hydrogen-containing gas:dialkyl 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate molar ratio. As catalyst activity declines during operation of the process over an extended period of time at a particular combination of temperature and pressure, the degree of conversion of the dialkyl 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate and/or the trans-:cis- isomer ratio of the CHDM product may be maintained at a constant value by adjusting at least one of the feed conditions referred to above. The determination of the Actual Activity and Reference Activity of the catalyst and the Actual and Effective Residence Times are included in the hydrogenation process.

Preparation of cyclohexanedimethanol with a particular ratio

A hydrogenation process is described for the production of a hydroxylic compound selected from alcohols and diols by hydrogenation of a corresponding unsaturated organic compound selected from esters, diesters and lactones which involves use of two hydrogenation zones (11, 36), each containing a charge of a hydrogenation catalyst (12, 37). In a first phase of operation one of the hydrogenation zones (36 or 11) is in standby condition and a stream of hot hydrogen-containing gas is passed therethrough. Meanwhile a vaporous feed stream comprising a hydrogen-containing gas and the unsaturated organic compound to be hydrogenated, e.g. dimethyl 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate, is fed to the active zone (11 or 36). This feed stream can include the gas stream from the first mentioned hydrogenation zone (36 or 11). In a second phase of operation the roles of the reactors (11, 36) are switched so that the zone (36 or 11) previously in reactivation condition becomes the active zone whilst the zone that was formerly active (11 or 36) goes into reactivation condition and its partially deactivated catalyst charge is reactivated by the hot hydrogen-containing gas stream.

Process for the production of alcohols and diols

A process is described for reactivating an at least partially deactivated copper-containing ester hydrogenation catalyst which has undergone deactivation through use in hydrogenation of an unsaturated organic compound selected from esters of C.sub.8 to C.sub.22 monocarboxylic acids, diesters of dicarboxylic acids, and lactones, to yield a corresponding hydroxylic compound selected from alcohols and diols which comprises contacting the at least partially deactivated copper-containing catalyst at an effective reactivation temperature and for an effective period of time with a stream of hydrogen-containing gas which is substantially free from the unsaturated organic compound thereby to reactivate the at least partially deactivated copper-containing catalyst.

Process for the preparation of alcohols and diols

Process for preparing tetrahydrofuran

Hydrogenation process

Growing community of inventors

London, United Kingdom

Michael W Tuck