Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Take Constantinescu

Michael Hesse

Rolf-Hartmuth Fischer

Markus Schubert

Aldo Bertola

Salvatore Cassarino

Philippe Raucq

The present invention provides a process for hydrogenating carbonyl compounds, in particular C-dicarboxylic acids to mixtures of tetrahydrofuran and gamma-butyrolactone, over supported rhenium catalysts, wherein rhenium and at least one further metal of groups VIII or Ib of the Periodic Table of the Elements, in particular ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd), osmium (Os), iridium (Ir), platinum (Pt), copper (Cu), silver (Ag) or cobalt (Co), is applied to the support in the form of at least one bimetallic precursor compound, and also to these catalysts.

Catalyst and hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds in the liquid phase using the catalyst

A process for production of tetrahydrofuran and gamma butyrolactone by hydrogenation of maleic anhydride recovered from a process of conversion of a n-butane. The process consists essentially of the following steps: A) converting n-butane to maleic anhydride by catalytic vapor phase oxidation; B) recovering maleic anhydride from the effluent gases of butane oxidation by selective absorption in gamma butyrolactone, forming a maleic anhydride-gamma butyrolactone mixture; C) removing water from the maleic anhydride-gamma butyrolactone mixture in a stripper under the action of a gas and/or under vacuum conditions, producing a maleic anhydride-gamma butyrolactone mixture with minimum water and maleic acid content; D) recovering gamma butyrolactone contained in the exhaust gases leaving the maleic anhydride absorber, by absorption in water; E) dehydrating the recovered gamma butyrolactone and recycling it to the maleic anhydride absorber; F) hydrogenating the dewatered maleic anhydride-gamma butyrolactone mixture, over suitable catalyst (s), under conditions favouring the formation of tetrahydrofuran and gamma butyrolactone; G) separating by distillation tetrahydrofuran, gamma butyrolactone and the by-products from the resulting hydrogenation mixture; H) recycling a gamma butyrolactone rich stream to the selective absorption of maleic anhydride.

Process to afford gamma butyrolactone and tetrahydrofuran

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Heidelberg, Germany

Take Constantinescu