Process for separation and recovery of carbon monoxide

Claim 2

A composition of matter suitable for the absorption of carbon monoxide from a gas mixture containing same which consists essentially of a normally liquid hydrocarbon diluent having a boiling point in the approximate range of 60° to 150° C and at least one copper(I) salt selected from the group consisting of (a) the copper(I) salt of an alkane sulfonic acid having from 4 to 20 carbon atoms per molecule; (b) an aromatic sulfonic acid having from 6 to 22 carbon atoms per molecule; (c) the copper(I) salt of a petroleum sulfonate acid; and (d) the copper(I) salt of a dialkyl phosphoric acid having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms per alkyl member; wherein said copper(I) salt is present in said diluent in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 2 moles per liter of said diluent.

Claim 3

The composition of claim 1 wherein said diluent is selected from the group consisting of saturated aliphatic, saturated cycloaliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.

Claim 4

The composition of claim 2 wherein said salt is the copper(I) salt of p-dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid.

Claim 5

The composition of claim 2 wherein said salt is the copper(I) salt of 2-ethyl-1-hexanesulfonic acid.

Claim 6

The composition of claim 2 wherein said diluent is toluene.

Claim 7

A process for the preparation of a carbon monoxide absorbent consisting essentially of a normally liquid hydrocarbon diluent having a boiling point in the range of 60°-150° C and an amount effective to complex carbon monoxide of at least one copper(I) salt of a compound selected from the group consisting of: (a) an alkanesulfonic acid having from 4 to 20 carbon atoms per molecule; (b) an aromatic sulfonic acid having from 6 to 22 carbon atoms per molecule; (c) a petroleum sulfonic acid; and (d) a dialkyl phosphate having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms per alkyl member which comprises admixing said sulfonic acid or said dialkyl phosphate with copper(I) oxide in said diluent and heating the resulting mixture to remove the water of reaction, said process being carried out in an inert atmosphere for a time sufficient to produce substantially complete reaction and thereafter recovering said copper(I) salt in said diluent as the product of the process.

Claim 8

A process for the preparation of a carbon monoxide absorbent consisting essentially of a normally liquid hydrocarbon diluent having a boiling point in the range of 60°-150° C and an amount effective to complex carbon monoxide of at least one copper(I) salt of a compound selected from the group consisting of: (a) an alkanesulfonic acid having from 4 to 20 carbon atoms per molecule; (b) an aromatic sulfonic acid having from 6 to 22 carbon atoms per molecule; (c) a petroleum sulfonic acid; and (d) a dialkyl phosphate having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms per alkyl member which comprises admixing said sulfonic acid or said dialkyl phosphate with copper(I) oxide in said diluent and heating the resulting mixture to remove the water of reaction, said process being carried out in an inert atmosphere for a time sufficient to produce substantially complete reaction and thereafter recovering said copper(I) salt in said diluent as the product of the process.

Claim 9

The process of claim 6 wherein said compound is 2-ethyl-1-hexanesulfonic acid.

Claim 10

The process of claim 6 wherein said compound is p-dodecylbenzene-sulfonic acid.

Claim 11

The process of claim 6 wherein said diluent is toluene.

Claim 12

The process of claim 6 wherein said copper(I) oxide and said sulfonic acid or said dialkyl phosphate are admixed in a molar ratio of about 1.

Claim 13

The process of claim 6 wherein the resulting absorbent contains said copper(I) salt in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 2 moles per liter of said diluent.

Claim 14

The process of claim 6 wherein said diluent is selected from the group consisting of saturated aliphatic, saturated cycloaliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.