Uop Lcc

China Petroleum Chemical Corporation

Richard Long

Tian Ruan

Jinbiao Guo

Lubo Zhou

Processes for making isobutanol are described. The processes involve a first reaction between methanol and ethanol in the presence of a first catalyst to produce an alcohol mixture containing propanol, isobutanol and n-butanol, and a second reaction between the produced propanol and synthesis gas in the presence of a second catalyst to produce isobutanol. The methanol and ethanol produced in the second reaction are recycled and used in the first reaction, and the unreacted propanol is recycled and used in the second reaction.

Isobutanol production process

A process for isobutanol synthesis is described. Ethanol and synthesis gas (syngas) are reacted in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst in a first reaction zone. The products of the first reaction can be separated into one or more streams comprising methanol and propanol. The methanol and propanol from the first reaction are reacted in the presence of a second catalyst to form isobutanol in a second reaction zone.

Ethanol conversion to isobutanol

A process for the production of propanol and/or isobutanol is disclosed. The process comprises reacting ethanol or propanol with synthesis gas in the presence of an alkali or alkaline earth doped CuMn oxide catalyst under reaction conditions to produce propanol and/or isobutanol. The catalyst may include one or more additional metal oxides as catalyst support.

Catalysts for isobutanol synthesis from syngas and ethanol or propanol

Processes for converting ethanol and syngas (CO and H2) to isobutanol are disclosed. Syngas and ethanol are reacted in the first reaction zone in the presence of a first heterogeneous catalyst to produce a first reactor effluent comprising a first mixture of alcohols. The first reactor effluent is reacted a second reaction zone in the presence of a second heterogeneous catalyst to produce a second reactor effluent comprising a second mixture of alcohols. The second reactor effluent is separated into an overhead gas stream and a liquid bottom stream. The liquid bottom stream is separated into at least a C1-2 stream, a C3 stream, and a C4+ stream. The isobutanol is recovered from the C4+ stream.

Process for isobutanol production from ethanol and syngas

An improved isobutanol synthesis process is provided which proceeds through the formation of mixed alcohols from syngas. The two-step process avoids the slowest &#x3b1;-carbon addition reaction in the conventional one-step, direct isobutanol synthesis process. Once ethanol and propanol are produced in the first reaction zone, they can react with methanol and/or syngas in a second reaction zone to produce isobutanol through the fast &#x3b2;-carbon addition reaction in the presence of catalysts, resulting on significantly improved isobutanol productivity.

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Richard Long