Arco Chemical Technology, L.p.

Atlantic Richfield Company

W Wayne Wentzheimer

John C Jubin, Jr

John A Sofranko

Robert N Cochran

Rangasamy Pitchai

Thomas I Evans

Rajendra S Albal

Mark A Liepa

Frank W Melpolder

Robert Nedwick

Glenn E Cozzone

Morris Gelb

Allen M Donn

John Jubin

A reactor and process is for the production of oxirane compounds by reaction of an olefin such as propylene with an organic hydroperoxide using a solid contact catalyst, characterized by the following features:

Exothermic reaction system

An integrated process is provided for the production of propylene oxide from propane wherein propane is dehydrogenated to propylene and hydrogen and the resulting propylene, propane, and hydrogen mixture together with added oxygen is reacted over a palladium on titanium silicilite catalyst to form propylene oxide, the molar ratio of oxygen to hydrogen in the reaction feed being at least about 2/1.

Propylene oxide production

Catalytic converter system and progress

An aqueous epoxidation process stream containing molybdenum and sodium values and organics is treated for organics removal as by incineration and an aqueous solution containing molybdenum and sodium is recovered, cooled, acidified and contacted with activated carbon and an aqueous stream reduced in molybdenum is recovered, further molybdenum reduction can be achieved by treatment with basic ion exchange resin.

Molybdenum epoxidation catalyst recovery

Low value feed hydrocarbons are converted to high octane value tertiary ethers using a multiple riser fluidized solids catalytic reactor wherein in a first riser the hydrocarbon feed is converted to iso and linear C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 olefins, the iso-olefins are etherified, the linear C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 olefins are isomerized to iso C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 olefins in a second riser of the fluidized solids reactor, iso C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 olefins from the second riser are also etherified to high octane value tertiary ethers, and catalyst from both risers is regenerated in a common regeneration zone.

Hydrocarbon conversion

A mixed C.sub.4 hydrocarbon stream containing from 5 to 60% isobutene is mixed with methanol providing from about 2% to about 20% excess methanol (stoichiometry based on isobutene content) to provide fresh feed for preparing tertiary butyl methyl ether in a reaction zone containing acidic ion exchange catalyst. Formation of trouble-some amounts of diisobutylene is repressed by the presence of the excess methanol. The effluent comprising TBME, excess methanol, and unreacted C.sub.4 hydrocarbons is directed to a unique purification zone. The butenes are distilled from the effluent at a pressure from about 7 to 25 atmospheres, preferably at about 12 to 20 atmospheres. Surprisingly all of the excess methanol is azeotropically removed with the C.sub.4 hydrocarbons by the pressurized azeotropic distillation, leaving a bottoms consisting of a technical grade of TBME free from troublesome amounts of methanol.

Production of tertiary butyl methyl ether

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Glen Mills, PA, United States of America

W Wayne Wentzheimer