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Iridium-catalyzed carbonylation process for the production of acetic acid

Assignee: BP Chemicals Ltd
•
Filing: 1997-12-17
•
Granted: 1999-03-02
•
Expires: 2017-12-17
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Abstract

Abstract A process for the production of acetic acid by carbonylating with carbon monoxide methanol and/or a reactive derivative thereof in a carbonylation reactor containing a liquid reaction composition comprising an iridium carbonylation catalyst, methyl iodide co-catalyst, a finite concentration of water, acetic acid, methyl acetate and at least one promoter wherein the water concentration is at or below that at which the maximum in the graph of carbonylation rate versus water concentration occurs and there is employed in the liquid reaction composition a co-promoter selected from alkali metal iodides, alkaline earth metal iodides, metal complexes capable of generating I - , salts capable of generating I - , and mixtures of two or more thereof.

Inventors

  • 👤 Evert Jan Ditzel
  • 👤 John Glenn Sunley
  • 👤 Robert John Watt

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 21:43
CPC Classifications
C; C07; C07C; C07C51/00; C07C51/10; C07C51/12

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim 115 words
A process for the production of acetic acid by carbonylating with carbon monoxide methanol and/or a reactive derivative thereof in a carbonylation reactor containing a liquid reaction composition comprising an iridium carbonylation catalyst, methyl iodide co-catalyst, a finite concentration of water, acetic acid, methyl acetate and at least one promoter wherein the water concentration is at or below that at which the maximum in the graph of carbonylation rate versus water concentration occurs and there is employed in the liquid reaction composition a co-promoter selected from alkali metal iodides, alkaline earth metal iodides, metal complexes capable of generating I - , salts capable of generating I - , and mixtures of two or more thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 115 words
A process for the production of acetic acid by carbonylating with carbon monoxide methanol and/or a reactive derivative thereof in a carbonylation reactor containing a liquid reaction composition comprising an iridium carbonylation catalyst, methyl iodide co-catalyst, a finite concentration of water, acetic acid, methyl acetate and at least one promoter wherein the water concentration is at or below that at which the maximum in the graph of carbonylation rate versus water concentration occurs and there is employed in the liquid reaction composition a co-promoter selected from alkali metal iodides, alkaline earth metal iodides, metal complexes capable of generating I - , salts capable of generating I - , and mixtures of two or more thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the water concentration in the liquid reaction composition is below 6% by weight.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein the water concentration in the liquid reaction composition is below 4.5% by weight.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 13 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein methanol and/or methyl acetate are carbonylated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the concentration of methyl acetate in the liquid reaction composition is in the range 5 to 40% by weight.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the concentration of methyl iodide co-catalyst in the liquid reaction composition is in the range from 1 to 20% by weight.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 30 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein iridium carbonylation catalyst is present in the liquid reaction composition at a concentration in the range 500 to 3000 ppm measured as iridium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein at least one promoter is selected from ruthenium, osmium, tungsten, rhenium, zinc, cadmium, indium, gallium and mercury.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 11 words
A process according to claim 8 wherein the promoter is ruthenium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 26 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the promoter is present in the liquid reaction composition at a molar ratio of promoter:iridium of 0.5:1 to 15:1.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 14 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the co-promoter is an alkali metal iodide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 14 words
A process according to claim 11 wherein the alkali metal iodide is lithium iodide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 15 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the co-promoter is an alkaline earth metal iodide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 19 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the co-promoter is a metal complex capable of generating I - .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 17 words
A process according to claim 14 wherein the metal is lanthanum, cerium, aluminium, nickel, iron or chromium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 16 words
A process according to claim 15 wherein the metals are in the form of their iodides.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 18 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the co-promoter is a salt capable of generating I - .
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 16 words
A process according to claim 17 wherein the salt is a quaternary ammonium or phosphonium iodide.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 35 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the co-promoter is lithium, the ruthenium to iridium molar ratio is about 2:1 and the molar ratio of lithium to iridium is in the range 0.5:1 to 1.5:1.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 31 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the carbonylation reaction temperature is in the range 150° to 220° C. and the total pressure is in the range 15 to 100 barg.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

EP0384652A1 Cited
EP0643034A1 Cited
US5672743A Cited
WO1995031426A1 Cited
US5773642A Cited
EP0728727A1 Cited
EP0752406A1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-03-01 2002-08-31 2003-03-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-03-01 2006-08-31 2007-03-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-03-01 2010-08-31 2011-03-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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