Bp Chemicals Limited

Philippe Bres

Jean-Claude A Bailly

Erick Dominique Daire

Christine Jacqueline Chabrand

Jean-Marie Basset

Christophe Coperet

Mostafa Taoufik

Jean Thivolle-Cazat

Daravong Soulivong

Barry Martin Maunders

The invention relates to a process for producing ethane comprising contacting methane with a metal catalyst selected from metal hydrides, metal organic compounds and mixtures thereof. It also relates to a process for the conversion of methane to carbon-containing products comprising contacting methane with a metal catalyst comprising at least one metal, Me, chosen from the lanthanides, the actinides and the metals from Groups 2 to 12 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, so as to produce ethane in a proportion of at least 65%, especially at least 98% or 99% by weight with respect to carbon-containing products formed in the process. The process can be a single-step process, preferably carried out under conditions involving a non-oxidative catalytic coupling of methane, in particular under operating conditions maintained substantially constant, preferably continuously, during the ethane production, e.g. at a temperature ranging from &#x2212;30&#xb0; C. to +80&#xb0; C., preferably from 20&#xb0; C. to 500&#xb0; C., under a total absolute pressure ranging from 10to 100 MPa, preferably from 0.1 to 50 MPa. The metal catalyst may be chosen from metal catalysts supported on and preferably grafted to a solid support. One of the main advantages of the present invention is to produce ethane with a very high selectivity.

Process for converting methane into ethane

The present invention relates to a solid catalyst suitable for polymerizing olefins in a heterogeneous process, the catalyst consisting of spheroidal particles having a narrow particle size distribution and comprising (i) a support containing magnesium dichloride and an electron-donor free from labile hydrogene, (ii) a zirconium metallocene, and (iii) optionally an organoaluminium compound which is an aluminoxane preferably. The solid catalyst may be used in the form of a prepolymer comprising a polyethylene or a copolymer of ethylene and an active zirconium metallocene catalyst essentially consisting of atoms of Zr, Mg, Cl and Al, preferably in the form of spheriodal particles. The solid catalyst or the prepolymer may be used for producing polyethylene or copolymer of ethylene having from 0.5 to 20 ppm of Zr and a molecular weight distribution from 2 to 5, in the form of a powder having a bulk density from 0.3 to 0.55 g/cm.sup.3, preferably consisting of spheroidal particles.

Catalyst and prepolymer used for the preparation of polyolefins

The present invention relates to a solid catalyst suitable for polymerizing olefins in a heterogeneous process, the catalyst consisting of spheroidal particles having a narrow particle size distribution and comprising (i) a support containing magnesium dichloride and an electron-donor free from labile hydrogen, (ii) a zirconium metallocene, and (iii) optionally an organoaluminium compound which is an aluminoxane preferably. The solid catalyst may be used in the form of a prepolymer comprising a polyethylene or a copolymer of ethylene and an active zirconium metallocene catalyst essentially consisting of atoms of Zr, Mg, Cl and Al, preferably in the form of spheriodal particles. The solid catalyst or the prepolymer may be used for producing polyethylene or copolymer of ethylene having from 0.5 to 20 ppm of zr and a molecular weight distribution from 2 to 5, in the form of a powder having a bulk density from 0.3 to 0.55 g/cm.sup.3, preferably consisting of spheroidal particles.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a Ziegler-Natta type catalyst based on a vanadium compound precipitated on a MgCl.sub.2 spherical support. The catalyst preparation consists of contacting within a liquid hydrocarbon a vanadium-reducing agent chosen from organometallic compounds with a vanadium compound soluble in the liquid hydrocarbon containing at least one halogen and one alkoxy group, and with a support containing (i) MgCl.sub.2 free from Mg-C bond and (ii) an organic electron donor compound free from labile hydrogen. The support consists of spherical particles having a well-defined diameter and a narrow particle size distribution. The catalyst is particularly suitable for manufacturing in a gas phase process elastomeric copolymers of propylene.

Process for preparing a vanadium-based catalyst suitable for olefin

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a Ziegler-Natta type catalyst based on vanadium and titanium compounds precipitated on a MgCl.sub.2 spherical support. The catalyst preparation consists of contacting within a liquid hydrocarbon a vanadium- and titanium-reducing agent chosen from organometallic compounds with a vanadium compound and a titanium compound, both soluble in the liquid hydrocarbon, in a molar ratio V/Ti from 70/30 to 99.5/0.5 and a support containing (i) MgCl.sub.2 free from Mg-C bond and (ii) an organic electron donor compound free from labile hydrogen. The support consists of spherical particles having a well-defined diameter and a narrow particle size distribution. The catalyst is particularly suitable for manufacturing in a gas phase process elastomeric copolymers of propylene.

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Fos-sur-Mer, France

Philippe Bres