Dimethyl ether production

Liquid mixtures of methanol and hydrochloric acid slowly yield methyl chloride even at 0°C (20,21), The typical process is carried out by contacting the alcohol with hydrochloric acid at 70 to 160°C and 0.1—1 MPa (15—150 psig) in the presence of a catalyst such as zinc chloride, quaternary amines (18,19,22), or with no catalyst at aH (23,24). TypicaHy 0.5 to 3% of the methanol is converted to dimethyl ether. Product methyl chloride is taken out of the reactor as a vapor and is cooled to condense as much of the water vapor and HCl as possible. Dimethyl ether and the residual water is then removed and the finished methyl chloride is condensed. 

Catalyst Development for Methanol and Dimethyl Ether Production from Blast Furnace Off Gas... 

Kim IH, Kim S, Cho W, Yoon ES (2010) Simulation of commercial dimethyl ether production plant. Comput Aided Chem Eng 28 799-804... 

Dimethyl ether production technology. http //www.jcoal.or.jp/eng/cctinjapany2 4A4.pdf... 

Figure l-E-6. Global dimethyl ether production (Methanol Institute, 2008). 

The unit has virtually the same flow sheet (see Fig. 2) as that of methanol carbonylation to acetic acid (qv). Any water present in the methyl acetate feed is destroyed by recycle anhydride. Water impairs the catalyst. Carbonylation occurs in a sparged reactor, fitted with baffles to diminish entrainment of the catalyst-rich Hquid. Carbon monoxide is introduced at about 15—18 MPa from centrifugal, multistage compressors. Gaseous dimethyl ether from the reactor is recycled with the CO and occasional injections of methyl iodide and methyl acetate may be introduced. Near the end of the life of a catalyst charge, additional rhodium chloride, with or without a ligand, can be put into the system to increase anhydride production based on net noble metal introduced. The reaction is exothermic, thus no heat need be added and surplus heat can be recovered as low pressure steam. 

Dimethyl Ether. Synthesis gas conversion to methanol is limited by equiUbrium. One way to increase conversion of synthesis gas is to remove product methanol from the equiUbrium as it is formed. Air Products and others have developed a process that accomplishes this objective by dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether [115-10-6]. Testing by Air Products at the pilot faciUty in LaPorte has demonstrated a 40% improvement in conversion. The reaction is similar to the Hquid-phase methanol process except that a soHd acid dehydration catalyst is added to the copper-based methanol catalyst slurried in an inert hydrocarbon Hquid (26). 

By selection of appropriate operating conditions, the proportion of coproduced methanol and dimethyl ether can be varied over a wide range. The process is attractive as a method to enhance production of Hquid fuel from CO-rich synthesis gas. Dimethyl ether potentially can be used as a starting material for oxygenated hydrocarbons such as methyl acetate and higher ethers suitable for use in reformulated gasoline. Also, dimethyl ether is an intermediate in the Mobil MTG process for production of gasoline from methanol. 

Mobil MTG and MTO Process. Methanol from any source can be converted to gasoline range hydrocarbons using the Mobil MTG process. This process takes advantage of the shape selective activity of ZSM-5 zeoHte catalyst to limit the size of hydrocarbons in the product. The pore size and cavity dimensions favor the production of C-5—C-10 hydrocarbons. The first step in the conversion is the acid-catalyzed dehydration of methanol to form dimethyl ether. The ether subsequendy is converted to light olefins, then heavier olefins, paraffins, and aromatics. In practice the ether formation and hydrocarbon formation reactions may be performed in separate stages to faciHtate heat removal. 

Tetrafluoroethylene Oxide TFEO has only been prepared by a process employing oxygen or ozone because of its extreme reactivity with ionic reagents. This reactivity may best be illustrated by its low temperature reaction with the weak nucleophile, dimethyl ether, to give either of two products (47) (eq. 10). 

In contrast to the silver process, all of the formaldehyde is made by the exothermic reaction (eq. 23) at essentially atmospheric pressure and at 300—400°C. By proper temperature control, a methanol conversion greater than 99% can be maintained. By-products are carbon monoxide and dimethyl ether, in addition to small amounts of carbon dioxide and formic acid. Overall plant yields are 88—92%. 

Synthetic utility of stereoselective alkylations in natural product chemistry is exemplified by the preparation of optically active 2-arylglycine esters (38). Chirally specific a-amino acids with methoxyaryl groups attached to the a-carbon were prepared by reaction of the dimethyl ether of a chiral bis-lactam derivative with methoxy arenes. Using SnCl as the Lewis acid, enantioselectivities ranging from 65 to 95% were obtained. 

Examination of possible systems for boron isotope separation resulted in the selection of the multistage exchange-distillation of boron trifluoride—dimethyl ether complex, BF3 -0(CH3 )2, as a method for B production (21,22). Isotope fractionation in this process is achieved by the distillation of the complex at reduced pressure, ie, 20 kPa (150 torr), in a tapered cascade of multiplate columns. Although the process involves reflux by evaporation and condensation, the isotope separation is a result of exchange between the Hquid and gaseous phases. 

The addition product, C QHgNa, called naphthalenesodium or sodium naphthalene complex, may be regarded as a resonance hybrid. The ether is more than just a solvent that promotes the reaction. StabiUty of the complex depends on the presence of the ether, and sodium can be Hberated by evaporating the ether or by dilution using an indifferent solvent, such as ethyl ether. A number of ether-type solvents are effective in complex preparation, such as methyl ethyl ether, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, dioxane, and THF. Trimethyl amine also promotes complex formation. This reaction proceeds with all alkah metals. Other aromatic compounds, eg, diphenyl, anthracene, and phenanthrene, also form sodium complexes (16,20). 

SuIfona.tlon, Sulfonation is a common reaction with dialkyl sulfates, either by slow decomposition on heating with the release of SO or by attack at the sulfur end of the O—S bond (63). Reaction products are usually the dimethyl ether, methanol, sulfonic acid, and methyl sulfonates, corresponding to both routes. Reactive aromatics are commonly those with higher reactivity to electrophilic substitution at temperatures > 100° C. Tn phenylamine, diphenylmethylamine, anisole, and diphenyl ether exhibit ring sulfonation at 150—160°C, 140°C, 155—160°C, and 180—190°C, respectively, but diphenyl ketone and benzyl methyl ether do not react up to 190°C. Diphenyl amine methylates and then sulfonates. Catalysis of sulfonation of anthraquinone by dimethyl sulfate occurs with thaHium(III) oxide or mercury(II) oxide at 170°C. Alkyl interchange also gives sulfation. 

Later it was synthesized in a batch process from dimethyl ether and sulfur thoxide (93) and this combination was adapted for continuous operation. Gaseous dimethyl ether was bubbled at 15.4 kg/h into the bottom of a tower 20 cm in diameter and 365 cm high and filled with the reaction product dimethyl sulfate. Liquid sulfur thoxide was introduced at 26.5 kg/h at the top of the tower. The mildly exothermic reaction was controlled at 45—47°C, and the reaction product (96—97 wt % dimethyl sulfate, sulfuhc acid, and methyl hydrogen sulfate) was continuously withdrawn and purified by vacuum distillation over sodium sulfate. The yield was almost quantitative, and the product was a clear, colorless, mobile Hquid. A modified process is deschbed in Reference 94. Properties are Hsted in Table 3. 

The conversion proceeds through dimethyl ether as an intermediate and the products are paraffins, aromatics, cycloparaffins, and +olefins, all of which must involve alkylation reactions catalyzed by the strong acid function of the zeoHte. This technology represents a significant advancement in the potential for using coal as a raw material for gasoline and hydrocarbons. 

The reaction is accompanied by side reactions that lead to methanol and dimethyl ether by-products. 

Oxygenates and Chemicals A whole host of oxygenated products, i.e., fuels, fuel additives, and chemicals, can be produced from synthesis gas. These include such produc ts as methanol, ethylene, isobutanol, dimethyl ether, dimethyl carbonate, and many other hydrocarbons and oxyhydrocarbons. Typical oxygenate-producing reactions are ... 

Tetrahydrofuran may be purified by refluxing over solid potassium hydroxide, followed by distillation from lithium alu-miniun hydride. Tetrahydrofuran may be replaced by ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (dimethoxyethane). The submitter has indicated that either solvent may be freed conveniently from water, alcohols, and moderate amounts of peroxides by passing the commercial solvent through a column (2 in. diameter X 2-3 ft. length) of Linde Air Products Molecular Sieves (type 13A iQ- n. pellets), at a rate of approximately 100 ml. per minute. 

Pellotine and Anhalonidine. The A -acetyl derivative of mezcaline (I NHj— NHAc), on treatment with phosphoric oxide, yields 6 7 8-trimethoxy-l-methyl-3 4-dihydrowoquinoline (picrate, m.p. 181-2°), which, on successive catalytic hydrogenation and treatment with methyl sulphate, yields 6 7 8-trimethoxy-l 2-dimethyl-l 2 3 4-tetrahydro-isoquinoline identical with 0-methylpellotine (picrate, m.p. 167-8°), whence it appears that pellotine must be a dimethyl ether of 6 7 8-trihydroxy-1 2-dimethyl-l 2 3 4-tetrahydrowoquinoline. Pellotine and anhalonidine on complete methylation yield the same product, and as anahalonidine is a secondary base and differs from pellotine by containing —CHj less, it must be a dimethyl ether of 6 7 8-trihydroxy-l-methyl-1 2 3 4-tetrahydrowoquinoline, and pellotine should be A -methyl-anahalonidine. 

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