Monsanto acetic acid synthesis

The direct carbonylation of methanol yielding acetic acid, the Monsanto process, represents the best route for acetic acid. Carbonylation of methyl acetate, obtained from methanol and acetic acid, gives acetic anhydride, a technology commercialized by Tennessee Eastman (22). It is noteworthy that this process is based on coal derived synthesis gas to give as the final product cellulose acetate. A combination of Monsanto and Tennessee Eastman technology opens the door for the combined synthesis of acetic acid and acetic anhydride. 

Scheme 1. Proposed mechanism for the Monsanto acetic acid synthesis.

Using methanol, a variety of fine diemicals can be made by conventional and new ways. Homogeneous catalysts have already contributed here. In tills connection the acetic acid synthesis by Monsanto must be mentioned [28]. Scheme 7 summarizes processes based on methanol, which arc under consideration or already at the development stage. 

Chapter 14 Organometallic Reactions and Catalysis Monsanto Acetic Acid Synthesis... 

Monsanto acetic acid synthesis 4), and the hydroformylation or 0X0 reaction (5). A key mechanistic step in catalytic carbonylation reactions is the migration of an alkyl group onto an adjacent carbonyl ligand. This reaction involves the formation of a new carbon-carbon bond and has been termed a carbonyl insertion reaction since a CO ligand has been formally inserted into the transition metal-carbon (r-bond. Because of the industrial and commercial importance of these catalytic reactions, the search for stoichiometric systems in which this step can be observed directly has been, and still is, one of great endeavor. 

Reaction of [Mn(R)(CO)j] with neutral nucleophiles is by far the most widely studied type of reaction for [Mn(R)(CO)s] compounds. The reaction usually involves addition of the neutral neucleophile, L, and is accompanied by CO insertion/alkyl migration to form an acyl species [Eq. (29)]. L is usually a tertiary phosphine (PR3), an alkylated amine (RNH2), or free carbon monoxide. Besides being a carbon-carbon bond forming reaction of fundamental importance, alkyl migration reactions of transition metal alkyl species have direct relevance to catalysis, especially for the 0X0 or hydroformylation process (2), the Monsanto acetic acid synthesis (2), and the synthesis of ethylene glycol (94). 

All known ACS enzymes are bifunctional in that they possess a C cluster with COdFI activity in addition to an A cluster (the ACS active site. Scheme 9). In the enzymes, a CO tunnel is described through which GO can pass directly from the C cluster, where it is generated from CO2, to the A cluster, where acetyl GoA synthesis takes place. Again, two mechanisms were proposed that differ in the order of binding events and redox states involved. In essence, however, GO binds to an Ni-GHs species, followed by insertion and generation of an Ni-acetyl species, which upon reaction with GoA liberates the acetyl GoA product. It is interesting to note that methylation of Ni occurs by reaction with methyl cobalamin (Scheme 7). In M. thermoacetica, the cobalamin is the cofactor for a rather unique protein called the corrinoid iron sulfur protein (GFeSP). The above process, even if mechanistic details still remain in question, resembles the industrial Monsanto acetic acid synthesis process (Scheme 9, bottom). In this case, however, the reaction is catalyzed by a low-valent Rh catalyst. 

The Monsanto acetic acid synthesis is a classic example of an industrially useful transformation based upon organometallic reactions. In this synthetic procedure, carbon monoxide and methanol are coupled to form acetic acid in water. Two catalysts are used. The first is HI, playing the role of a strong acid with a nucleophilic counterion, and the second is the... 

The catalytic cycle involved in the Monsanto acetic acid synthesis. A. An equilibrium established in solution that supplies CH J. 

Acetic Acid and Anhydride. Synthesis of acetic acid by carbonylation of methanol is another important homogeneous catalytic reaction. The Monsanto acetic acid process developed in the late 1960s is the best known variant of the process. 

This process may be competitive with butane oxidation (see Hydrocarbon oxidation) which produces a spectmm of products (138), but neither process is competitive with the process from synthesis gas practiced by Monsanto (139) and BASF (140) which have been used in 90% of the new acetic acid capacity added since 1975. 

In many applications acetic acid is used as the anhydride and the synthesis of the latter is therefore equally important. In the 1970 s Halcon (now Eastman) and Hoechst (now Celanese) developed a process for the conversion of methyl acetate and carbon monoxide to acetic anhydride. The process has been on stream since 1983 and with an annual production of several 100,000 tons, together with some 10-20% acetic acid. The reaction is carried out under similar conditions as the Monsanto process, and also uses methyl iodide as the "activator" for the methyl group. 

Methanol process. BASF introduced high-pressure technology way back in I960 to make acetic acid out of methanol and carbon monoxide instead of ethylene. Monsanto subsequently improved the process by catalysis, using an iodide-promoted rhodium catalyst. This permits operations at much lower pressures and temperatures. The methanol and carbon monoxide, of course, come from a synthesis gas plant. 

Also of great attractiveness is the direct synthesis of acetic acid from syngas, which would circumvent the two step process of Monsanto. Selectivities of up to 50 % are claimed. An economic analysis by Hoechst A.G. indicates (1/7) that this process is already economically feasible at a 80 % C2 Oxygenate selectivity. 

An interesting reaction of methyl formate is its isomerization to give acetic acid. Based on patent literature, a number of companies have recently reinvestigated this isomerization which has been known for over 30 years ( ). It is unlikely that it can compete with the Monsanto process however, since it doesn t need pure CO and may be operable at milder reaction conditions, some potential may be seen. Combining isomerization to acetic acid and decarbonylation to methanol and CO, could provide a direct synthesis for acetic anhydride starting directly from methyl formate (Equation 13). 

Whatever the source of synthesis gas, it is the starting point for many industrial chemicals. Some examples to be discussed are the hydroformylation process for converting alkenes to aldehydes and alcohols, the Monsanto process for the production of acetic acid from methanol, the synthesis of methanol from methane, and the preparation of gasoline by the Mobil and Fischer-Tropsch methods. 

As mentioned in the previous section, the carbonylation of methanol to acetic acid is an important industrial process. Whereas the [Co2(CO)s]-catalyzed, iodide-promoted reaction developed by BASF requires pressures of the order of 50 MPa, the Monsanto rhodium-catalyzed synthesis, which is also iodide promoted and which was discovered by Roth and co-workers, can be operated even at normal pressure, though somewhat higher pressures are used in the production units.4,1-413 The rhodium-catalyzed process gives a methanol conversion to acetic acid of 99%, against 90% for the cobalt reaction. The mechanism of the Monsanto process has been studied by Forster.414 The anionic complex m-[RhI2(CO)2]- (95) initiates the catalytic cycle, which is shown in Scheme 26. 

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