Bp Chemicals Limited

Simon Frederick Thomas Froom

Stephen Robert Hodge

Evert Jan Ditzel

Stephen James Smith

Sean Anthony Hennigan

Witold Franciszek Pacynko

Stanley John Becker

Bhushan Sharma

Clive Richard Breeden

Geoffrey Bryne

Process for the production of acetic acid by (a) introducing methanol, methyl acetate, dimethyl ether and/or methyl iodide and carbon monoxide into a first reaction zone containing a liquid reaction composition comprising a carbonylation catalyst, optionally a carbonylation catalyst promoter, methyl iodide, methyl acetate, acetic acid and water, (b) withdrawing at least a portion of the liquid reaction composition together with dissolved and/or entrained carbon monoxide and other gases from the first reaction zone, (c) passing at least a portion of the withdrawn liquid reaction composition to a second reaction zone, wherein at least a portion of the dissolved and/or entrained carbon monoxide is consumed, (d) passing at least a portion of the liquid reaction composition from the second reaction zone into a flash separation zone to form a vapor fraction, which comprises acetic acid, methyl iodide, methyl acetate and low pressure off-gas, comprising carbon monoxide; and a liquid fraction, which comprises carbonylation catalyst and optional carbonylation catalyst promoter, and (e) passing the vapor fraction from the flash separation zone to one or more distillation zones to recover acetic acid product. The temperature of the liquid reaction composition withdrawn from the first reaction zone is in the range of 170 to 195&#xb0; C.; and the temperature of the liquid reaction composition passed from the second reaction zone to the flash separation zone is at least 8&#xb0; C. greater than the temperature of the liquid reaction composition withdrawn from the first reaction zone.

Process for the production of acetic acid

The present invention provides a process for the production of an alkenyl carboxylate by reacting an alkene, a carboxylic acid and a molecular oxygen-containing gas in a reaction zone in the presence of a catalyst at an elevated reaction temperature, T, to produce an outlet stream from the reaction zone comprising alkenyl carboxylate and oxygen, and wherein in said process the catalyst is contacted with the alkene, at a partial pressure, P, optionally in the presence of the carboxylic acid, and the outlet stream comprises less than 2 vol % oxygen, the improvement comprises reducing the partial pressure of the alkene and/or reducing the reaction temperature so as to suppress formation of benzene and/or suppress inhibition of the catalyst.

Process for the production of alkenyl carboxylates

This invention relates to a process for the production of lower aliphatic esters by reacting a lower olefin with a saturated lower aliphatic mono-carboxylic acid in the vapor phase in the presence of a heteropolyacid catalyst in a plurality of reactors set up in series such that the reactant gases exiting from a first reactor are fed as the feed gas to a second reactor and those exiting from the second reactor are fed as the feed gas to a third reactor and so on for the subsequent reactors. An aliquot of the reactant monocarboxylic acid is introduced into the feed gas to the second and subsequent reactors so as to maintain the olefin to monocarboxylic acid ratio in the feed gas to each of the second and subsequent reactors within a pre-determined range.

Ester synthesis

Process for the production of lower aliphatic esters comprising reacting a lower olefin with a saturated lower aliphatic monocarboxylic acid in the vapor phase in the presence of a heteropolyacid catalyst. The reaction is carried out in a plurality of reactors set up in series, and the feedstock is rendered substantially free of metallic or metal compound impurities prior to being brought into contact with the heteropolyacid catalyst.

Process for the production of lower aliphatic esters by bringing together in an addition reaction a lower olefin and a saturated, lower aliphatic, mono-carboxylic acid in the vapor phase into contact with a heterpolyacid catalyst. The reactant olefin and acids and any recycled feeds are rendered substantially free of aldehydes impurities prior to being brought into contact with the heterpolyacid catalyst. Acetaldehyde is a catalyst poison and removal of these from the feeds prolongs life and activity of the heteropolyacid catalyst.

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Snaith, United Kingdom

Simon Frederick Thomas Froom