Catalytica, Inc.

Stanley F Newman

Jere D Fellmann

Jacques C De Deken

Peter H Kilner

Michael L Cook

A process for the selective manufacture of 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene from naphthalene advantageously combines an equilibration reactor to enhance the amount of monoisopropylnaphthalene fed to the alkylation reactor, and the use of a shape selective catalyst in the alkylation reactor, to obtain an alkylation reaction product in which the 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene isomer comprises greater than 39 mole percent of the total diisopropylnaphthalene obtained. Further, this combination of reaction steps and conditions produces a reaction product in which the ratio of 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene to 2,7-diisopropylnaphthalene is greater than 1.0, preferably greater than 1.2. Recycled process components are fed to the equilibration reactor where they are combined with fresh naphthalene feed to provide a monoisopropylnaphthalene enriched feed to the alkylation reactor.

Process for selective manufacture of 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalenes with

Tischtschenko condensation of aldehydes is used to remove aldehydes from dry ketone-containing streams. The tischtschenko condensation is used to condense the aldehydes into esters whose boiling points are significantly different than the ketones, greatly simplifying the separation of the esters from the ketones. An organic extraction step is used to obtain a substantially dry ketone containing stream. One particularly preferred class of extraction solvents is selected from the group consisting of butane, pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane and mixtures thereof. In particularly preferred embodiments, the Tischtschenko reaction is used in the context of aqueous-phase catalyzed olefin oxidation to ketones. The aldehyde to ester condensation permits easy and efficient removal of the aldehyde analogs of the desired ketones.

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Walnut Creek, CA, United States of America

Stanley F Newman