Process for the production of chemical compounds from carbon dioxide

Abstract

Process for the production of a chemical compound from a carbon dioxide starting material, comprising the steps of a) providing a feed stream consisting mainly of carbon dioxide; b) electrolyzing in an electrolysis stage the carbon dioxide in the feed stream to a first gas stream containing carbon monoxide and a second gas stream containing oxygen, wherein the molar ratio between carbon monoxide and oxygen is about 1:0.5 in an electrolysis stage; c) adjusting the composition of the first gas stream or the second gas stream or both gas streams to include carbon dioxide, either by operating at less than full conversion of COor by sweeping one or both gas streams with a gas containing COor by at some stage between the electrolysis cell and the oxidative carbonylation reactor diluting one or both gas streams with a gas containing CO; all while maintaining an overall molar ratio of carbon monoxide to oxygen of about 1:0.5; and d) introducing the first and second process stream into a reaction stage and reacting the first and second process stream combined or in succession with a substrate to the chemical compound by means of an oxidative carbonylation reaction with the carbon monoxide and oxygen contained in the process feed stream.