Coproduct Use

Leathers TD. 2003. Bioconversions of Maize Residues to Value-Added Coproducts Using Yea.st-l.ike Fungi. FEMS Yeast Research 3 133-140. 

Styrene is manufactured by alkylating benzene with ethene followed by dehydrogenation, or from petroleum reformate coproduction with propylene oxide. Styrene is used almost exclusively for the manufacture of polymers, of which the most important are polystyrene, ABS plastics and styrene-butadiene rubber. U.S. production 1980 3 megatonnes. 

Further steps m glycolysis use the d glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate formed m the aldolase catalyzed cleavage reaction as a substrate Its coproduct dihydroxyacetone phosphate is not wasted however The enzyme triose phosphate isomerase converts dihydroxyacetone phosphate to d glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate which enters the glycol ysis pathway for further transformations... 

Most of the world s acetone is now obtained as a coproduct of phenol by the cumene process, which is used by 21 of 31 producing companies in North America, Western Europe, and Japan. Cumene is oxidi2ed to the hydroperoxide and cleaved to acetone and phenol. The yield of acetone is beheved to average about 94%, and about 0.60—0.62 unit weight of acetone is obtained per unit of phenol (13). 

A yield of about 95% of theoretical is achieved using this process (1.09 units of isopropyl alcohol per unit of acetone produced). Depending on the process technology and catalyst system, such coproducts as methyl isobutyl ketone and diisobutyl ketone can be produced with acetone (30). 

The economics of acetone production and its consequent market position are unusual. Traditional laws of supply and demand cannot be appHed because supply depends on the production of phenol and demand is controUed by the uses of acetone. Therefore, coproduct acetone from the cumene to phenol process will continue to dominate market supply. DeHberate production of acetone from isopropyl alcohol accommodates demand in excess of that suppHed by the phenol process. More than 75% of world and 90% of U.S. production comes from the cumene to phenol process. 

Early demand for chlorine centered on textile bleaching, and chlorine generated through the electrolytic decomposition of salt (NaCl) sufficed. Sodium hydroxide was produced by the lime—soda reaction, using sodium carbonate readily available from the Solvay process. Increased demand for chlorine for PVC manufacture led to the production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide as coproducts. Solution mining of salt and the avadabiHty of asbestos resulted in the dominance of the diaphragm process in North America, whereas soHd salt and mercury avadabiHty led to the dominance of the mercury process in Europe. Japan imported its salt in soHd form and, until the development of the membrane process, also favored the mercury ceU for production. 

The term feedstock in this article refers not only to coal, but also to products and coproducts of coal conversion processes used to meet the raw material needs of the chemical industry. This definition distinguishes between use of coal-derived products for fuels and for chemicals, but this distinction is somewhat arbitrary because the products involved in fuel and chemical appHcations are often identical or related by simple transformations. For example, methanol has been widely promoted and used as a component of motor fuel, but it is also used heavily in the chemical industry. Frequendy, some or all of the chemical products of a coal conversion process are not isolated but used as process fuel. This practice is common in the many coke plants that are now burning coal tar and naphtha in the ovens. 

In 1990, U.S. coke plants consumed 3.61 x 10 t of coal, or 4.4% of the total U.S. consumption of 8.12 x ICf t (6). Worldwide, roughly 400 coke oven batteries were in operation in 1988, consuming about 4.5 x 10 t of coal and producing 3.5 x 10 t metallurgical coke. Coke production is in a period of decline because of reduced demand for steel and increa sing use of technology for direct injection of coal into blast furnaces (7). The decline in coke production and trend away from recovery of coproducts is reflected in a 70—80% decline in volume of coal-tar chemicals since the 1970s. 

Sasol produces synthetic fuels and chemicals from coal-derived synthesis gas. Two significant variations of this technology have been commercialized, and new process variations are continually under development. Sasol One used both the fixed-bed (Arge) process, operated at about 240°C, as weU as a circulating fluidized-bed (Synthol) system operating at 340°C. Each ET reactor type has a characteristic product distribution that includes coproducts isolated for use in the chemical industry. Paraffin wax is one of the principal coproducts of the low temperature Arge process. Alcohols, ketones, and lower paraffins are among the valuable coproducts obtained from the Synthol process. 

Synthol coproducts include alcohols, ketones, and lower paraffins. They are used mainly as solvents in the paint and printing industries, although some alcohols are blended into fuels. In 1992 Sasol began producing 17,500 t/yr 1-butanol [71-36-3] from 5-07-acetaldehyde [75-07-0] and plaimed to start a plant to produce high purity ethanol [64-17-5] in 1993. Acetone [67-64-1] and methyl ethyl ketone [78-93-3] are two ketone coproducts sold as solvents. 

TetrabromobisphenoIA. Tetrabromobisphenol A [79-94-7] (TBBPA) is the largest volume bromiaated flame retardant. TBBPA is prepared by bromination of bisphenol A under a variety of conditions. When the bromination is carried out ia methanol, methyl bromide [74-80-9] is produced as a coproduct (37). If hydrogen peroxide is used to oxidize the hydrogen bromide [10035-10-6] HBr, produced back to bromine, methyl bromide is not coproduced (38). TBBPA is used both as an additive and as a reactive flame retardant. It is used as an additive primarily ia ABS systems, la ABS, TBBPA is probably the largest volume flame retardant used, and because of its relatively low cost is the most cost-effective flame retardant. In ABS it provides high flow and good impact properties. These benefits come at the expense of distortion temperature under load (DTUL) (39). DTUL is a measure of the use temperature of a polymer. TBBPA is more uv stable than decabrom and uv stable ABS resias based oa TBBPA are produced commercially. 

Direct Fluorination. This is a more recently developed method for the synthesis of perfluorinated compounds. In this process, fluorine gas is passed through a solution or suspension of the reactant in a nonreactive solvent such as trichlorotrifluoroethane (CFC-113). Sodium fluoride may also be present in the reaction medium to remove the coproduct hydrogen fluoride. There has been enormous interest in this area since the early 1980s resulting in numerous journal pubHcations and patents (7—9) (see Fluorine compounds, organic-direct fluorination). Direct fluorination is especially useful for the preparation of perfluoroethers. 

Liquid-phase oxidation of lower hydrocarbons has for many years been an important route to acetic acid [64-19-7]. In the United States, butane has been the preferred feedstock, whereas ia Europe naphtha has been used. Formic acid is a coproduct of such processes. Between 0.05 and 0.25 tons of formic acid are produced for every ton of acetic acid. The reaction product is a highly complex mixture, and a number of distillation steps are required to isolate the products and to recycle the iatermediates. The purification of the formic acid requires the use of a2eotropiag agents (24). Siace the early 1980s hydrocarbon oxidation routes to acetic acid have decliaed somewhat ia importance owiag to the development of the rhodium-cataly2ed route from CO and methanol (see Acetic acid). 

Eigure 2 shows that even materials which are rather resistant to oxidation ( 2/ 1 0.1) are consumed to a noticeable degree at high conversions. Also the use of plug-flow or batch reactors can offer a measurable improvement in efficiencies in comparison with back-mixed reactors. Intermediates that cooxidize about as readily as the feed hydrocarbon (eg, ketones with similar stmcture) can be produced in perhaps reasonable efficiencies but, except at very low conversions, are subject to considerable loss through oxidation. They may be suitable coproducts if they are also precursors to more oxidation-resistant desirable materials. Intermediates which oxidize relatively rapidly (/ 2 / i — 3-50 eg, alcohols and aldehydes) are difficult to produce in appreciable amounts, even in batch or plug-flow reactors. Indeed, for = 50, to isolate 90% or more of the intermediate made, the conversion must... 

The reported U.S. capacity in 1991 was 0.55 x 10 t/yr (225). The tert-huty alcohol coproduct is used mostly to make methyl tert-huty ether, a gasoline additive. 

An oxirane process utilizes ethylbenzene to make the hydroperoxide, which then is used to make propylene oxide [75-56-9]. The hydroperoxide-producing reaction is similar to the first step of cumene LPO except that it is slower (2,224,316—318). In the epoxidation step, a-phenylethyl alcohol [98-85-1] is the coproduct. It is dehydrated to styrene [100-42-5]. The reported 1992 capacity for styrene by this route was 0.59 X 10 t/yr (319). The corresponding propylene oxide capacity is ca 0.33 x 10 t/yr. The total propylene oxide capacity based on hydroperoxide oxidation of propylene [115-07-1] (coproducts are /-butyl alcohol and styrene) is 1.05 x 10 t/yr (225). 

The unit Kureha operated at Nakoso to process 120,000 metric tons per year of naphtha produces a mix of acetylene and ethylene at a 1 1 ratio. Kureha s development work was directed toward producing ethylene from cmde oil. Their work showed that at extreme operating conditions, 2000°C and short residence time, appreciable acetylene production was possible. In the process, cmde oil or naphtha is sprayed with superheated steam into the specially designed reactor. The steam is superheated to 2000°C in refractory lined, pebble bed regenerative-type heaters. A pair of the heaters are used with countercurrent flows of combustion gas and steam to alternately heat the refractory and produce the superheated steam. In addition to the acetylene and ethylene products, the process produces a variety of by-products including pitch, tars, and oils rich in naphthalene. One of the important attributes of this type of reactor is its abiUty to produce variable quantities of ethylene as a coproduct by dropping the reaction temperature (20—22). 

It is difficult to indicate a representative price for acetylene because it is generally produced either for captive use or on contract. The price seems to be dictated mainly by the price movement of ethylene, often a coproduct as well as an alternative feedstock competing with acetylene. That is, in 1981 when ethylene was 0.55 per kg, acetylene was 1.12 per kg and when in 1987 the price of ethylene dropped to 0.31 per kg, acetylene dropped to 0.68 per kg. 

In the former USSR, there reportedly are two technologies in use one is old anthrahydroquinone autoxidation technology and the other is closed-loop isopropyl alcohol oxidation technology. Production faciUties include several smaller, 100-150-t/yr isopropyl alcohol oxidation plants and a larger, 15,000-t/yr plant, which reportedly is being expanded to 30,000-t/yr. Differences in this technology as compared to the Shell Chemical Co. process are the use of oxygen-enriched air in the oxidation step and, catalytic reduction of the coproduct acetone back to isopropyl alcohol per equation 21. 

The yield of hydroquinone is 85 to 90% based on aniline. The process is mainly a batch process where significant amounts of soHds must be handled (manganese dioxide as well as metal iron finely divided). However, the principal drawback of this process resides in the massive coproduction of mineral products such as manganese sulfate, ammonium sulfate, or iron oxides which are environmentally not friendly. Even though purified manganese sulfate is used in the agricultural field, few solutions have been developed to dispose of this unsuitable coproduct. Such methods include MnSO reoxidation to MnO (1), or MnSO electrochemical reduction to metal manganese (2). None of these methods has found appHcations on an industrial scale. In addition, since 1980, few innovative studies have been pubUshed on this process (3). 

Other patents (86,90) describe the synthesis without the coproduction of HCl, using the mixture of HCl and H2O2 according to... 

Catechol is produced by coproduction with hydroquinone starting from phenol. Other techniques such as coal extraction remain marginal. The installed capacities (- 25,000 t/yr) are now sufficient to cover the demand. Catechol is mainly used for synthesis in food, pharmaceutical, or agrochemical ingredients. A specific appHcation of / fZ-butylcatechol is as a polymerisation inhibitor. 

Acetaldehyde can be used as an oxidation-promoter in place of bromine. The absence of bromine means that titanium metallurgy is not required. Eastman Chemical Co. has used such a process, with cobalt as the only catalyst metal. In that process, acetaldehyde is converted to acetic acid at the rate of 0.55—1.1 kg/kg of terephthahc acid produced. The acetic acid is recycled as the solvent and can be isolated as a by-product. Reaction temperatures can be low, 120—140°C, and residence times tend to be high, with values of two hours or more (55). Recovery of dry terephthahc acid follows steps similar to those in the Amoco process. Eastman has abandoned this process in favor of a bromine promoter (56). Another oxidation promoter which has been used is paraldehyde (57), employed by Toray Industries. This leads to the coproduction of acetic acid. 2-Butanone has been used by Mobil Chemical Co. (58). 

CycIohexanediamine s commercial origin is its presence as a minor 0.1 <1% coproduct of hexamethylenediamine [124-09-4] produced by hydrogenation of adiponittile [111-69-3]. Fractional distillation by up to four columns in a series is routine commercial practice to purify nylon grade acychc diamine the cmde cycloahphatic diamine requires further refining before use as a specification intermediate. 

The polyamide copolymer of dodecanoic acid with methylenedi(cyclohexylamine) (MDCHA, PACM) was sold as continuous filament yam fiber under the tradename QIANA. As late as 1981, over 145,000 t was produced using high percentages, typically 80%, of trans, trans MDCHA isomer. The low melting raffinate coproduct left after t,t isomer separation by fractional crystallisation was phosgenated to produce a Hquid aUphatic diisocyanate marketed by Du Pont as Hylene W. Upon terrnination of their QIANA commitment, Du Pont sold the urethane intermediate product rights to Mobay, who now markets the 20% trans, trans—50% cis, trans—30% cis, cis diisocyanate isomer mixture as Desmodur W. In addition to its use in polyamides and as an isocyanate precursor, methylenedi (cyclohexyl amine) is used directiy as an epoxy curative. The Hquid diamine mixture identified historically as PACM-20 is marketed as AMICURE PACM by Anchor Chemical for performance epoxies. 

The hydroperoxide process involves oxidation of propjiene (qv) to propylene oxide by an organic hydroperoxide. An alcohol is produced as a coproduct. Two different hydroperoxides are used commercially that result in / fZ-butanol or 1-phenylethanol as the coproduct. The / fZ-butanol (TBA) has been used as a gasoline additive, dehydrated to isobutjiene, and used as feedstock to produce methyl tert-huty ether (MTBE), a gasoline additive. The 1-phenyl ethanol is dehydrated to styrene. ARCO Chemical has plants producing the TBA coproduct in the United States, Erance, and the Netherlands. Texaco has a TBA coproduct plant in the United States. Styrene coproduct plants are operated by ARCO Chemical in the United States and Japan, Shell in the Netherlands, Repsol in Spain, and Yukong in South Korea. 

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