EP0846674A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Iridium catalysed carbonylation process for the production of a carboxylic acid
Assignee: BP Chemicals Ltd
•
Filing: 1997-11-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-11-27
Abstract
Abstract A process for the production of a carboxylic acid having n+1 carbon atoms comprises (a) carbonylating with carbon monoxide in a first reaction zone at elevated temperature and pressure an alkyl alcohol having n carbon atoms and/or a reactive derivative thereof to produce a carboxylic acid having n+1 carbon atoms in a liquid reaction composition comprising carboxylic acid product, an iridium catalyst, an alkyl halide co-catalyst, water, an ester of the carboxylic acid product and the alkyl alcohol, and optionally one or more promoters, (b) withdrawing from the first reaction zone at least a portion of the liquid reaction composition together with dissolved and/or entrained carbon monoxide, and passing at least a portion of the withdrawn liquid reaction composition and carbon monoxide to a second reaction zone, ((c)reacting at least 1% of the dissolved and/or entrained carbon monoxide in the withdrawn reaction composition by further carbonylation at elevated temperature and pressure in the second reaction zone to produce further carboxylic acid product.
Inventors
- 👤 George Ernest Morris
- 👤 John Glen Sunley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 19:14
CPC Classifications
C; C07; C07C; C07C51/00; C07C51/10; C07C51/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A process for the production of carboxylic acid having n+1 carbon atoms
which process comprises (a) carbonylating with carbon monoxide in a first reaction
zone at elevated temperature and pressure an alkyl alcohol having n carbon atoms
and/or a reactive derivative thereof to produce a carboxylic acid having n+1 carbon
atoms in a liquid reaction composition comprising carboxylic acid product, an
iridium catalyst, an alkyl halide co-catalyst, water, an ester of the carboxylic acid
product and the alkyl alcohol, and optionally one or more promoters, (b)
withdrawing from the first reaction zone at least a portion of the liquid reaction
composition together with dissolved and/or entrained carbon monoxide, and
passing at least a portion of the withdrawn liquid reaction composition and carbon
monoxide to a second reaction zone, (c) reacting at least 1% of the dissolved
and/or entrained carbon monoxide in the withdrawn reaction composition by
further carbonylation at elevated temperature and pressure in the second reaction
zone to produce further carboxylic acid product.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein substantially all the liquid reaction
composition together with dissolved and/or entrained carbon monoxide withdrawn
from the first reaction zone is passed to the second reaction zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein methanol and/or
methyl acetate are carbonylated with carbon monoxide in the first reaction zone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the
concentrations of the ester of the carboxylic acid product and the alkyl alcohol in
the first and second reaction zones are independently in the range from 3 to 35%
by weight.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the
concentrations of water in the liquid reaction compositions in the first and second
reaction zones are independently in the range from 1 to 10% by weight.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the
concentrations of alkyl halide in the liquid reaction compositions in the first and
second reaction zones are independently in the range from 2 to 16% by weight.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the
concentrations of the iridium catalyst in the liquid reaction compositions of the first
and second reactors is in the range from 100 to 6000 ppm by weight of iridium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the liquid
reaction compositions additionally comprise as promoter one or more of ruthenium
and osmium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to claim 8 wherein the promoter is present in the liquid
reaction compositions at a molar ratio of each promoter to iridium of [up to 10]:1.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims when operated in
the substantial absence of added iodide salt.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein in the first
reaction zone the temperature of the carbonylation reaction is in the range 150 to
220°C and the pressure is in the range 15 to 50 barg.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein in the
second reaction zone the reaction temperature is in the range 150 to 230°C and the
pressure is in the range 15 to 100 barg.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the
residence time of liquid reaction composition in the second reaction zone is in the
range 5 to 300 seconds.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein there is
introduced to the second reaction zone carbon monoxide in addition to that
introduced to the zone as dissolved and/or entrained carbon monoxide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 14 wherein the additional carbon monoxide is
high pressure offgas from the first reaction zone.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein greater
than 25% of the dissolved and/or entrained carbon monoxide in the withdrawn
reaction composition from the first reaction zone is consumed in the second
reaction zone.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least
95% of the dissolved and/or entrained carbon monoxide in the withdrawn reaction
composition from the first reaction zone is consumed in the second reaction zone.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
55 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the amount
of carbon monoxide in the second liquid composition withdrawn from the second
reaction zone is reduced to maintain at least 20% by volume of the dissolved
and/or entrained gases therein and is comprised of unreacted entrained and/or
dissolved and/or additional carbon monoxide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first
and second reaction zones are maintained in separate reaction vessels with means
for withdrawing from the first reaction vessel and passing to the second reaction
vessel liquid reaction composition from the first reaction vessel with dissolved
and/or entrained carbon monoxide.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 19 wherein the second reaction vessel
comprises a section of pipe between the first reaction vessel and a liquid reaction
composition flashing valve.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process according to claim 19 wherein the first reaction vessel is
operated as a liquid-full back mixed reactor in fluidic communication with the
second reaction vessel.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process according to claim 21 wherein the second reactor is operated as
a bubble column reactor with limited back mixing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 to 18 wherein the second
reaction zone comprises a relatively quiescent reaction zone within a reactor in the
main body of which is housed the first reaction zone.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
52 words
A process according to claim 23 wherein the reactor is partitioned into a
first reaction zone forming a major proportion of the reaction space and having
agitation means therein and a second smaller reaction zone having no agitation
means, the second reaction zone being in liquid communication with the first
reaction zone.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the carbon
monoxide partial pressure in the first and second reaction zones is independently in
the range 1 to 15 bar.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the
carboxylic acid product is acetic acid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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