Catalytic production of hydrogen peroxide from its elements

Claim 2

In the process for the production of hydrogen peroxide by contacting hydrogen and oxygen with a palladium catalyst on a solid support in the presence of water and an acid having a pKa of less than about 5, the improvement which comprises carrying out the process in the presence of a nitrogen-containing hydrocarbyl compound having 2 to 40 inclusive carbon atoms and 1 to 3 inclusive nitrogen atoms per molecule in a concentration of from about 0.1 to about 99.9 percent by volume of the liquid reaction mixture.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 where the pKa of the acid is less than about 3.

Claim 4

In the process for the production of hydrogen peroxide by contacting hydrogen and oxygen with a palladium catalyst on a solid support in the presence of water and an acid having a pKa of less than about 5, the improvement which comprises carrying out the process in the presence of a nitrogen-containing hydrocarbyl compound selected from the group consisting of nitriles, acyclic amines, azirines, azetas, pyrroles, imidazoles, pyrrazoles, pyrrotriazoles, pyridines, pyrazines, pyrimidines, pyridazines, pyrazolines, pyrrolizines, indolizines, indoles, purines, quinolines and the correspondingly more saturated members of the above rings in a concentration of from about 0.1 to about 99.9 percent by volume of the liquid reaction mixture.

Claim 5

In the process for the production of hydrogen peroxide by contacting hydrogen and oxygen with a palladium catalyst on a solid support in the presence of water and an acid having a pKa of less than about 5, the improvement which comprises carrying out the process in the presence of a nitrogen-containing hydrocarbyl compound selected from the group consisting of nitriles, acyclic amines, azirines, azetas, pyrroles, imidazoles, pyrrazoles, pyrrotriazoles, pyridines, pyrazines, pyrimidines, pyridazines, pyrazolines, pyrrolizines, indolizines, indoles, purines, quinolines and the correspondingly more saturated members of the above rings in a concentration of from about 0.1 to about 99.9 percent by volume of the liquid reaction mixture.

Claim 6

The process of claim 3 wherein the organic nitrogen-containing hydrocarbyl compound contains from 2 to 20 inclusive carbon atoms per molecule and from 1 to 3 inclusive nitrogen atoms per molecule and the acid is selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, phosphoric acid, phosphonic and sulfonic acids.

Claim 7

In the process for the production of hydrogen peroxide by contacting hydrogen and oxygen with a palladium catalyst on a solid support in the presence of water and an acid having a pKa of less than about 5, the improvement which comprises carrying out the process in the presence of a nitrogen-containing hydrocarbyl compound selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, pyridine, imidazole, 2,6-dimethylpyridine, methylpyrrole, 4-cyanopyridine, and mixtures of the compounds at a concentration of from about 0.1 to about 99.9 percent by volume of the liquid reaction mixture.

Claim 8

In the process for the production of hydrogen peroxide by contacting hydrogen and oxygen with a palladium catalyst on a solid support in the presence of water and an acid having a pKa of less than about 5, the improvement which comprises carrying out the process in the presence of a nitrogen-containing hydrocarbyl compound selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, pyridine, imidazole, 2,6-dimethylpyridine, methylpyrrole, 4-cyanopyridine, and mixtures of the compounds at a concentration of from about 0.1 to about 99.9 percent by volume of the liquid reaction mixture.

Claim 9

In the process for the production of hydrogen peroxide by contacting hydrogen and oxygen with a palladium catalyst on a solid support in the presence of water and an acid having a pKa of less than about 5, the improvement which comprises carrying out the process in the presence of a nitrile having from 2 to 20 inclusive carbon atoms per molecule at a concentration of from about 0.1 to about 99.9 percent by volume of the liquid reaction mixture.

Claim 10

In the process for the production of hydrogen peroxide by contacting hydrogen and oxygen with a palladium catalyst on a solid support in the presence of water and an acid having a pKa of less than about 5, the improvement which comprises carrying out the process in the presence of a nitrile having from 2 to 20 inclusive carbon atoms per molecule at a concentration of from about 0.1 to about 99.9 percent by volume of the liquid reaction mixture.

Claim 11

the process of claim 6 wherein the nitrile is acetonitrile.

Claim 12

The process of claim 7 wherein the concentration of the acetonitrile ranges from about 50 to about 95 percent by volume.

Claim 13

The process of claim 8 wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, sulfonic acid ion exchange resins and mixtures thereof.

Claim 14

The process of claim 6 wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, phosphoric acid and phosphonic and sulfonic acids and mixtures thereof.

Claim 15

The process of claim 6 wherein the nitrile is selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, propionitrile, butyronitrile and isobutyronitrile.

Claim 16

The process of oxidation which comprises contacting an oxidizable substance in the liquid phase with hydrogen peroxide produced in situ by contacting oxygen and hydrogen with a supported palladium catalyst in the presence of water, a strong acid having a pKa of less than about 5 and a nitrogen-containing hydrocarbyl compound having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms and 1 to 3 inclusive nitogen atoms per molecule at a concentration of from 1 to about 95 percent by volume.

Claim 17

The process of oxidation which comprises contacting an oxidizable substance in the liquid phase with hydrogen peroxide produced in situ by contacting oxygen and hydrogen with a supported palladium catalyst in the presence of water, a strong acid having a pKa of less than about 5 and a nitrogen-containing hydrocarbyl compound having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms and 1 to 3 inclusive nitogen atoms per molecule at a concentration of from 1 to about 95 percent by volume.

Claim 18

The process of claim 12 wherein the oxidizable substance is benzene which is oxidized to phenol, and the reaction is carried out additionally with the presence of a compound which promotes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.

Claim 19

The process of claim 12 wherein the oxidizable substance is m-toluic acid which is oxidized to isophthalic acid, and the reaction is carried out additionally with the presence of a compound which promotes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.

Claim 20

The process of claim 12 wherein the oxidizable substance is cyclohexane which is oxidized to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, and the reaction is carried out additionally in the presence of a compound which promotes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.

Claim 21

The process of oxidation which comprises contacting an oxidizable substance in the liquid phase with hydrogen peroxide produced in situ by contacting oxygen and hydrogen with a supported palladium catalyst in the presence of water, a strong acid having a pKa of less than about 3 and a nitrile having from about 2 to 20 inclusive carbon atoms per molecule.

Claim 22

The process of oxidation which comprises contacting an oxidizable substance in the liquid phase with hydrogen peroxide produced in situ by contacting oxygen and hydrogen with a supported palladium catalyst in the presence of water, a strong acid having a pKa of less than about 3 and a nitrile having from about 2 to 20 inclusive carbon atoms per molecule.

Claim 23

The process of claim 16 wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, sulfonic acid ion exchange resin and mixtures thereof and the nitrile is acetonitrile.

Claim 24

The process of claim 17 wherein the oxidizable substance is benzene which is oxidized to phenol, and the reaction is carried out additionally with the presence of a compound which promotes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.

Claim 25

The process of claim 17 wherein the oxidizable substance is m-toluic acid which is oxidized to isophthalic acid, and the reaction is carried out additionally with the presence of a compound which promotes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.

Claim 26

The process of claim 17 wherein the oxidizable substance is cyclohexane which is oxidized to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, and the reaction is carried out additionally in the presence of a compound which promotes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.

Claim 27

The process of claim 16 wherein the nitrile is selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, propionitrile, butyronitrile, isobutyronitrile and mixtures thereof.