National Distillers and Chemical Corporation

Quantum Chemical Corporation

Lyondell Chemical Technology, L.p.

Millennium Petrochemicals Inc.

Lyondellbasell Acetyls, LLC

Hanes, Ronnie M.

Brima, Thomas S.

Kwiatek, Jack

Ronnie M Hanes

David W Smith

Brian A Salisbury

William D Baugh

Biau-Hung Chang

Thomas S Brima

John A Scheben

Steve M Augustine

Noel C Hallinan

Stephen Herbert Harris

Gary A Sawyer

Wayne Joseph Brtko

Jack Kwiatek

Steven M Augustine

Michael D Evans

Orville D Prampton

A method for removing aldehyde impurities from an acetic acid stream is disclosed. The method comprises reacting an acetic acid stream containing aldehyde impurities with a hydroxyl compound to form corresponding acetals. The acetals are subsequently removed from the acetic acid by, e.g., distillation.

Preparation of acetic acid

A method for removing aldehyde impurities from an acetic acid stream is disclosed. The method comprises reacting aldehyde impurities with a hydroxyl compound in a drying distillation column or a combined column to form corresponding acetals. The acetals are subsequently removed as heavy impurities from acetic acid by distillation.

Disclosed is a method for removing aldehyde impurities from a methyl acetate supply. The method comprises reacting the methyl acetate supply with a polyol and converting the aldehyde impurities to cyclic acetals. The acetals are subsequently removed from the methyl acetate supply by, e.g., distillation. The purified methyl acetate supply is used for carbonylation to produce acetic acid.

Methyl acetate purification and carbonylation

An improved process for producing high activity and high selectivity supported palladium-gold catalysts is provided. The process involves calcining the support impregnated with a palladium salt and gold salt in a non-reducing atmosphere and at a temperature ranging from 100.degree. C. to 600.degree. C. prior to reducing the metals. Catalysts of the invention are useful for the production of vinyl acetate in the vapor phase by reaction of ethylene, acetic acid and oxygen.

Process for the production of supported palladium-gold catalysts

A method for pretreatment of a palladium-gold catalyst useful in the synthesis of vinyl acetate. A virgin catalyst, following reduction to the metallic palladium and gold, is first heated at elevated temperatures in the presence of an oxidizing agent such as air. The oxidizing agent is withdrawn and an inert gas such as nitrogen is introduced. The catalyst is heated again at a temperature up to 500.degree. C. in the presence of a reducing agent such as hydrogen or ethylene. Improvements in selectivity and yield are obtained.

Pretreatment of palladium-gold catalysts useful in vinyl acetate

A process is disclosed for the carbonylation of an organic compound selected from the group consisting of an olefin, an alcohol, an acid and an ester. In this process the organic compound is reacted with carbon monoxide in the presence of a Group VIII metal-containing catalyst. The liquid carbonylation product solution of this reaction is conveyed to a separation zone maintained at a lower total pressure than is the pressure in the reaction zone. Simultaneously with the conveyance of the liquid product solution to the separation zone is the introduction therein of a carbon monoxide-containing gaseous stream, the carbon monoxide therein contributing a partial pressure of up to 30 psia of the total pressure in said separation zone. A portion of the liquid carbonylation product solution is flashed and removed from the separation zone. The unflashed liquid carbonylation product solution is recycled back into the reaction zone.

Catalytic carbonylation process

A method for pretreatment of a palladium-gold catalyst useful in the synthesis of vinyl acetate. A virgin catalyst, following reduction to the metallic palladium and gold, is first heated at elevated temperatures in the presence of an oxidizing agent such as air. The oxidizing agent is withdrawn and an inert gas such as nitrogen is introduced. The catalyst is heated against at a temperature up to 500.degree. C. in the presence of a reducing agent such as hydrogen or ethylene. Improvement in selectivity and yield are obtained.

A method is disclosed for the production of esters by reaction of an allylic ether with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a Group VIII noble metal catalyst and a Group IB metal halide to obtain esters. The Group IB metal halide is present in an amount sufficient to prevent the catalyst from being converted into a Group VIII metal during the reaction. When the reaction is conducted in the presence of a quaternary ammonium salt the ester may be extracted by solvent extraction to minimize catalyst decomposition caused when extractive distillation is used to separate the ester.

Carbonylation of allylic ethers to esters

A process for making a hydrocarbyl vinyl ketone is disclosed. In this process a ketone having the structural formula CH.sub.3 COR, where R is lower alkyl, phenyl or C.sub.7 -C.sub.8 aralkyl, is reacted with methanol in an oxygen-containing atmosphere in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a catalytically effective amount of iron on an inert support. In another preferred embodiment, the catalyst system comprises a catalytically effective amount of a precious metal selected from the group consisting of silver and gold, in addition to iron, supported on an inert material.

Process for making a hydrocarbyl vinyl ketone

A process for the telomerization of a conjugated alkadiene with an organic hydroxy compound to produce an organo-oxyalkadiene is disclosed. A palladium catalyst having an ionic ligand is employed in a substantially oxygen-free environment in the presence of an aprotic polar solvent so that the reaction products may be separated from the catalyst by solvent extraction with a hydrocarbon solvent.

Conjugated alkadiene telomerization to organooxyalkadienes

A method is disclosed for the production of esters by reaction of an allylic ether with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a Group VIII noble metal catalyst and a halide compound to obtain esters. The halide compound is present in an amount sufficient to prevent the catalyst from being converted into a Group VIII metal during the reaction. When the reaction is conducted in the presence of a quaternary ammonium salt the ester may be extracted by solvent extraction to minimize catalyst decomposition caused when extractive distillation is used to separate the ester.

A process for converting an allylic ether to its corresponding acetal is disclosed. In this process an allylic ether is contacted with an organic hydroxy compound and a catalytically effective amount of a cobalt compound to produce the corresponding acetal.

Conversion of an allylic ether to its corresponding acetal

A process for isomerizing allylic ethers is disclosed. In this process a compound having the structural formula

Process for the isomerization of allylic ethers

A new class of compounds, the alkyl 9-alkoxy-7-nonenoates, is disclosed. These compounds are important intermediates in the synthesis of sebacic acid.

Alkyl 9-alkoxy-7-nonenoates

A method is disclosed for the production of esters by reaction of an alkyl acyclic allylic ether such as 8-methoxy-1,6-octadiene with carbon monoxide in the presence of a halide of nickel, cobalt or iron as a catalyst and especially nickel iodide for the production of esters. Carbonylation of 8-methoxy-1,6-octadiene results in the production of methyl-3,8-nonadienoate; 2-(carbomethoxymethyl)-vinylcyclopentane; 2-(carbomethoxymethyl)-6-vinylcyclohexanone and 2-carbomethoxymethylbicyclo(3.3.0)-octan-3-one.

Growing community of inventors

Milford, OH, United States of America

Ronnie M Hanes