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US4268703A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Dehydrocoupling of toluene

Assignee: Solutia Inc
•
Filing: 1979-12-10
•
Granted: 1981-05-19
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Expires: 1999-12-10
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Abstract

Abstract Toluene dehydrocoupled products are produced by heating toluene in the vapor phase with an inorganic metal/oxygen composition which functions as an oxygen carrier and has the empirical formula: Ma1Mb2Ox where M1 is lead and M2 is at least one element selected from thallium and Group 2a of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and mixtures thereof, and wherein a is 1, b is 0.01 to 10, and x is a number taken to satisfy the average valences of M1 and M2 in the oxidation states in which they exist in the composition. Alternatively, the same inorganic metal/oxygen composition can be employed as a catalyst or as a combination catalyst/oxygen carrier for the dehydrocoupling reaction when oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas is heated with the toluene.

Inventors

  • 👤 Alex N. Williamson
  • 👤 Samuel J. Tremont

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 11:09
CPC Classifications
C; C07; C07C; C07C2/00; C07C2/76; C07C2/82; C07C2/84; C07C2523/00; C07C2523/14; C07C2523/16; C07C2523/18

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 111 words
A process for dehydrocoupling toluene which comprises contacting the toluene in the vapor phase at a temperature between about 450° C. and about 650° C. with an inorganic metal/oxygen composition represented by the empirical formula: M.sub.a.sup.1 M.sub.b.sup.2 O.sub.x where M 1 is lead and M 2 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of thallium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium, and mixtures thereof, and wherein a is 1, b is 0.01 to 10, and x is a number taken to satisfy the average valences of M 1 and M 2 in the oxidation state in which they exist in the composition to yield the dehydrocoupled toluene product.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 111 words
A process for dehydrocoupling toluene which comprises contacting the toluene in the vapor phase at a temperature between about 450° C. and about 650° C. with an inorganic metal/oxygen composition represented by the empirical formula: M.sub.a.sup.1 M.sub.b.sup.2 O.sub.x where M 1 is lead and M 2 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of thallium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium, and mixtures thereof, and wherein a is 1, b is 0.01 to 10, and x is a number taken to satisfy the average valences of M 1 and M 2 in the oxidation state in which they exist in the composition to yield the dehydrocoupled toluene product.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
The process of claim 1 wherein M 2 is selected from the group consisting of barium, calcium, and strontium, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
The process of claim 1 wherein steam is introduced with the toluene in an amount sufficient to provide a steam-to-toluene mole ratio between about 0.1 and about 10.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process of claim 1 wherein b in the empirical formula representing the inorganic metal/oxygen composition is 0.5 to 5.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 29 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the contacting between the toluene and the inorganic metal/oxygen composition is effected for a period between about 1 second and abour 12 seconds.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the temperature is between about 500° C. and about 600° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dehydrocoupling reaction is conducted in a stoichiometric mode of operation in the absence of added free oxygen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein a reactant selected from the group consisting of oxygen and an oxygen-containing gas is introduced with the toluene.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 28 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the oxygen and oxygen-containing gas is introduced in an amount sufficient to conduct the dehydrocoupling reaction in a catalytic mode of operation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 28 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the oxygen and oxygen-containing gas is introduced in an amount sufficient to provide a toluene-to-oxygen mole ratio between about 1 and 8.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 29 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the oxygen and oxygen-containing gas is introduced in an amount sufficient to conduct the dehydrocoupling reaction in a combined catalytic/stoichiometric mode of operation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the inorganic metal/oxygen composition is admixed with a support material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 13 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the support material is a metal aluminate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 13 wherein the metal aluminate is calcium aluminate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dehydrocoupling reaction is conducted at a toluene conversion level of about 20 to about 55 percent.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 27 words
The process of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 wherein the dehydrocoupled toluene product is stilbene.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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US3557235A Cited
US3694518A Cited
US3868427A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-05-18 1984-11-17 1985-05-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-05-18 1988-11-17 1989-05-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-05-18 1992-11-17 1993-05-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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