Johnson Matthey Inc.

Lucite International UK Limited

Imperial Chemical Industries Limited

Raymond Anthony Hadden

Martin Fowles

Suzanne Rose Ellis

Peter John Herbert Carnell

Jean Margaret Pearson

Graham Ronald Eastham

David William Johnson

A process for reducing free oxygen in a gaseous nitrogen stream includes the steps of (i) reforming a hydrocarbon to generate a gas mixture containing hydrogen and carbon oxides, (ii) mixing the gas mixture with a nitrogen stream containing free oxygen, and (iii) passing the resulting nitrogen gas mixture over a conversion catalyst that converts at least a portion of the free oxygen present in the nitrogen to steam wherein the hydrocarbon reforming step includes oxidation of a hydrocarbon using an oxygen-containing gas.

Oxygen removal

A process for reducing free oxygen in a hydrocarbon gas stream comprises the steps of

A process for reducing free oxygen in a gaseous nitrogen stream comprises the steps of

A liquid-phase chemical reaction medium comprises one or more reactants, optionally in the presence of a reaction product(s) and one or more solvents, diluents or other form of liquid carrier, a catalyst system comprising at least a metal or metal compound and optionally further compounds such as ligands or complexing agents; characterized in that the reaction medium further comprises a polymeric dispersant dissolved in said liquid carrier, said polymeric dispersant being capable of stabilizing a colloidal suspension of particles of said metal or metal compound within the liquid carrier. The presence of the polymeric dispersant enables metal formed by catalyst deactivation to be more easily recovered and recycled. Preferably, the polymeric dispersant has sufficiently acidic or basic functionality to stabilize the colloidal suspension of said metal or metal compound.

Metal-compound catalyzed processes

A process for the liquid-phase carbonylation of ethylene, according to the equation C H &plus;CO&plus;ROH C H CO R, in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a Group VIII metal or compound thereof, a phosphine ligand and a source of anions, and in the presence of water or a source of organic hydroxyl groups, is carried out in conditions in which the molar ratio of ethylene to carbon monoxide in the gaseous phase of the reactor is greater than 1:1. The higher ratios of ethylene to carbon monoxide are beneficial in increasing the turnover number of the catalyst system.

Process for the palladium and phosphine ligand catalyzed carbonylation of ethylene

A process for the manufacture of an alkyl ester of an aliphatic carboxylic acid comprises the steps of supplying a first feed stream comprising carbon monoxide and an alkene of formula C H to a reactor, supplying a second feed stream comprising an alkyl alcohol, having a formula R&mdash;OH where R is an optionally substituted alkyl group, to the reactor, and reacting together said first and second feed streams in the reactor in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst, which catalyses the carbonylation reaction between carbon monoxide and the alkene, to form a product comprising an alkyl alkanoate having the formula C H COOR, such that the ratio of alkyl alcohol to alkyl alkanoate present in the reactor is greater than the ratio of alkyl alcohol to alkyl alkanoate present in an azeotropic mixture of the alkyl alcohol and alkyl alkanoate. The process is particularly useful for the manufacture of methyl propionate by the methoxycarbonylation of ethylene.

Production of esters

A process for the liquid-phase carbonylation of ethylene, according to the equation C,H,&plus;CO&plus;ROH&rarr;C,H,CO,R, in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a Group VIII metal or compound thereof, a phosphine ligand and a source of anions, and in the presence of water or a source of organic hydroxyl groups, is carried out in conditions in which the molar ratio of ethylene to carbon monoxide in the gaseous phase of the reactor is greater than 1:1. The higher ratios of ethylene to carbon monoxide are beneficial in increasing the turnover number of the catalyst system.

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Durham, United Kingdom

Raymond Anthony Hadden