US4336407A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Catalytic distillation process
Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
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Filing: 1981-02-17
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Granted: 1982-06-22
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Expires: 2001-02-17
Abstract
Abstract A method for conducting chemical reactions and fractionation of the reaction mixture comprising feeding reactants to a distillation column reactor into a feed zone and concurrently contacting the reactants with a fixed bed catalytic packing to concurrently carry out the reaction and fractionate the reaction mixture. For example, a method for preparing methyl tertiary butyl ether in high purity from a mixed feed stream of isobutene and normal butene comprising feeding the mixed feed stream to a distillation column reactor into a feed zone at the lower end of a distillation reaction zone, and methanol into the upper end of said distillation reaction zone, which is packed with a properly supported cationic ion exchange resin, contacting the C4 feed and methanol with the catalytic distillation packing to react methanol and isobutene, and concurrently fractionating the ether from the column below the catalytic zone and removing normal butene overhead above the catalytic zone.
Inventors
- 👤 Lawrence A. Smith, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 05:31
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D3/00; B01D3/009; B01J; B01J8/00; B01J8/02; C; C07; C07C; C07C41/00; C07C41/01; C07C41/05; C07C41/06; C07C41/34; C07C41/40; C07C41/42; B01J2208/00; B01J2208/00008; B01J2208/00017; B01J2208/00026; B01J2208/00035; B01J2208/0007; B01J2208/00106; B01J2208/00168; B01J2208/00247; B01J2208/00539; B01J2208/00548; B01J2208/00557; B01J35/00; B01J35/50; B01J35/56; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P20/00; Y02P20/10; Y10; Y10S; Y10S203/00; Y10S203/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A process for reacting C 4 and C 5 olefins with C 1 to C 6 alcohols to produce the corresponding ethers comprising (a) feeding a stream containing C 4 to C 5 olefins or a mixture thereof to a distillation column reactor into a feed zone, (b) feeding alcohol having one to six carbon atoms or mixtures thereof in said feed zone, (c) concurrently: (1) contacting said stream containing said olefins and said alcohol with a fixed bed acidic cation exchange resin packing in a distillation reaction zone thereby catalytically reacting at least a portion of said olefins and said alcohol to form an ether product and (2) fractionating the resultant ether product from unreacted materials, (d) withdrawing the ether from the distillation column reactor at a point below said feed zone, and (e) withdrawing unreacted materials from the distillation column reactor at a point above said feed zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
A process for reacting C 4 and C 5 olefins with C 1 to C 6 alcohols to produce the corresponding ethers comprising (a) feeding a stream containing C 4 to C 5 olefins or a mixture thereof to a distillation column reactor into a feed zone, (b) feeding alcohol having one to six carbon atoms or mixtures thereof in said feed zone, (c) concurrently: (1) contacting said stream containing said olefins and said alcohol with a fixed bed acidic cation exchange resin packing in a distillation reaction zone thereby catalytically reacting at least a portion of said olefins and said alcohol to form an ether product and (2) fractionating the resultant ether product from unreacted materials, (d) withdrawing the ether from the distillation column reactor at a point below said feed zone, and (e) withdrawing unreacted materials from the distillation column reactor at a point above said feed zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein said olefins are C 4 olefins and said stream contains inert hydrocarbon diluent having a boiling point lower than the ether product.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process according to claim 2 wherein said diluent comprises 5 to 15 mole % of said stream.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process according to claim 2 wherein said olefins are isobutene.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process according to claim 2 wherein said olefins are n-butenes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process according to claim 2 wherein said olefins are a mixture of isobutene and n-butenes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process according to claim 2 wherein said diluent is C 4 alkanes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein said olefins are C 5 olefins and said stream contains inert hydrocarbon diluent having a boiling point lower than the ether product.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process according to claim 8 wherein said diluent comprises 5 to 15 mole % of said stream.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process according to claim 8 wherein said olefins are isoamylene.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process according to claim 8 wherein said olefins are n-amylenes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process according to claim 8 wherein said olefins are a mixture of isoamylene and n-amylenes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process according to claim 8 wherein said diluent is C 4 alkanes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process according to claim 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11 or 12 wherein said alcohol has one hydroxyl group.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process according to claim 14 wherein said alcohol has 1 to 3 carbon atoms.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein said ether product is withdrawn below said resin packing and said unreacted materials are withdrawn above said resin packing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process according to claim 14 wherein said alcohol is methanol, ethanol or propanol.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein said alcohol is ethanol.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein said alcohol is propanol.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein said alcohol is a mixture of ethanol and methanol.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the temperature in the column is the boiling point of the unreacted hydrocarbons and alcohol in said column under the pressure in said column.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process according to claim 21 wherein the reaction and fractionation are carried out at a pressure in the range of 0 to 400 psig.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process according to claim 22 where the pressure is in the range of 10 to 300 psig.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process according to claim 6 wherein said contacting and reacting of olefins and alcohol are carried out to react substantially only isobutene with said alcohol.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process according to claim 6 wherein said contacting and reacting of olefins and alcohol are carried out to react both isobutene and n-butenes with said alcohol.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process according to claim 12 wherein said contacting and reacting of olefins and alcohol are carried out to react substantially only isoamylene with said alcohol.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process according to claim 12 wherein said contacting and reacting of olefins and alcohol are carried out to react both isoamylene and n-amylenes with said alcohol.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of producing tertiary butyl alkyl ether and mixtures thereof with isobutyl alkyl ether or butyl alkyl ether, comprising: (a) feeding: (1) a mixture containing isobutene and normal butene and (2) alcohol having 1 to 6 carbon atoms to a distillation column reactor into a feed zone, (b) concurrently: (1) contact said mixture and said alcohol with a fixed bed acid cation exchange resin packing in a distillation reaction zone thereby catalytically reacting at least the isobutene to form an ether product containing tertiary butyl alkyl ether or a mixture thereof with butyl alkyl ether or isobutyl alkyl ether, (2) fractionating the resulting mixture of ether product and unreacted materials, (c) withdrawing the ether product from the distillation column reactor at a point below said feed zone, and (d) withdrawing the unreacted materials from the distillation column reactor at a point above said feed zone.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of producing tertiary butyl alkyl ether and mixtures thereof with isobutyl alkyl ether or butyl alkyl ether, comprising: (a) feeding: (1) a mixture containing isobutene and normal butene and (2) alcohol having 1 to 6 carbon atoms to a distillation column reactor into a feed zone, (b) concurrently: (1) contact said mixture and said alcohol with a fixed bed acid cation exchange resin packing in a distillation reaction zone thereby catalytically reacting at least the isobutene to form an ether product containing tertiary butyl alkyl ether or a mixture thereof with butyl alkyl ether or isobutyl alkyl ether, (2) fractionating the resulting mixture of ether product and unreacted materials, (c) withdrawing the ether product from the distillation column reactor at a point below said feed zone, and (d) withdrawing the unreacted materials from the distillation column reactor at a point above said feed zone.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 28 wherein the ether product is substantially the reaction product of tertiary butene and said alcohol and the unreacted material comprises substantially n-butenes in said feed mixture.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 29 wherein the ether product is substantially tertiary butyl alkyl ether with some isobutyl alkyl ether present.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 29 wherein the ether product is a mixture of tertiary butyl alkyl ether, isobutyl alkyl ether and butyl alkyl ether and the unreacted material comprises a portion of the n-butenes.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 28, 29 or 32 wherein the alcohol has one hydroxyl group.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 32 wherein the alcohol has 1 to 3 carbon atoms.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method according to claim 33 wherein the alcohol is ethanol.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method according to claim 33 wherein the alcohol is propanol.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 33 wherein the alcohol is a mixture of methanol and ethanol.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of producing tertiary amyl alkyl ether and mixtures thereof with isoamyl alkyl ether, or amyl alkyl ether comprising: (a) feeding: (1) a mixture containing isoamylene and normal amylene and (2) alcohol having 1 to 6 carbon atoms to a distillation column reactor into a feed zone, (b) concurrently: (1) contacting said mixture and said alcohol with a fixed bed acid cation exchange resin packing in a distillation reaction zone thereby catalytically reacting at least the isoamylene to form an ether product containing tertiary amyl alkyl ether or a mixture thereof with isoamyl alkyl ether or amyl alkyl ether, (2) fractionating the resulting mixture of ether product and unreacted materials, (c) withdrawing the ether product from the distillation column reactor at a point below said feed zone, and (d) withdrawing the unreacted materials from the distillation column reactor at a point above said feed zone.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of producing tertiary amyl alkyl ether and mixtures thereof with isoamyl alkyl ether, or amyl alkyl ether comprising: (a) feeding: (1) a mixture containing isoamylene and normal amylene and (2) alcohol having 1 to 6 carbon atoms to a distillation column reactor into a feed zone, (b) concurrently: (1) contacting said mixture and said alcohol with a fixed bed acid cation exchange resin packing in a distillation reaction zone thereby catalytically reacting at least the isoamylene to form an ether product containing tertiary amyl alkyl ether or a mixture thereof with isoamyl alkyl ether or amyl alkyl ether, (2) fractionating the resulting mixture of ether product and unreacted materials, (c) withdrawing the ether product from the distillation column reactor at a point below said feed zone, and (d) withdrawing the unreacted materials from the distillation column reactor at a point above said feed zone.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 37 wherein the ether product is substantially the reaction product of tertiary amylene and said alcohol and the unreacted material comprises substantially n-amylenes in said feed mixture.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 38 wherein the ether product is substantially tertiary amyl alkyl ether with some isoamyl alkyl ether present.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 37 wherein the ether product is a mixture of tertiary amyl alkyl ether, isoamyl alkyl ethers and amyl alkyl ethers and the unreacted material comprises a portion of the n-amylene,
Claim 44
Independent Claim
15 words
The method according to claims 37 or 38 wherein the alcohol has one hydroxyl group.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 41 wherein the alcohol has 1 to 3 carbon atoms.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method according to claim 42 wherein the alcohol is methanol.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method according to claim 42 wherein the alcohol is ethanol.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method according to claim 42 wherein the alcohol is propanol.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 42 wherein the alcohol is a mixture of methanol and ethanol.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 31 wherein said butyl alkyl ethers comprises alkyl normal butyl ether and alkyl secondary butyl ether.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 40 wherein said amyl alkyl ethers comprises alkyl normal amyl ether and alkyl secondary amyl ethers.
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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) | 1985-06-21 | 1985-12-21 | 1986-06-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-06-21 | 1989-12-21 | 1990-06-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-06-21 | 1993-12-21 | 1994-06-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |