Fine chemical production

In order to convert the raw oils into useful material, transesterification technology is used. The oil is reacted with a low molecular weight alcohol, commonly methanol, in the presence of a catalyst to form the fatty acid ester and glycerol (Scheme 6.1). The ester is subsequently separated from the glycerol and used as biodiesel, the glycerol being used as a raw material for fine chemicals production. Although the chemistry is simple, in order to make biodiesel commercially viable the process must be... 

The main driver was to develop a laboratory-scale micro-channel process and transfer it to the pilot-scale, aiming at industrial fine-chemical production [48, 108]. This included fast mixing, efficient heat transfer in context with a fast exothermic reaction, prevention offouling and scale-/numbering-up considerations. By this means, an industrial semi-batch process was transferred to continuous processing. 

The reaction is carried out using a titanium silicalite-1 (TS-1) zeolite catalyst [30, 122]. This type of catalyst is known to accelerate the selective oxidation of alcohols, epoxidation of alkenes and hydroxylation of aromatics. These reactions have importance for fine-chemical production. 

Based on these positive results, a continuously operating Cytos Pilot Plant was constructed by CPC Systems GmbH and is used for fine chemical production. The results of the evaluation on production scale confirm those results obtained already during the process development stage, which have been discussed in detail elsewhere. ... 

Fine chemicals form a group of products of large variety their number exceeds 10,000. The size of the global fine chemicals market in 1993 was estimated at 42,000 million. The average annual growth in the period 1989-95 was about 4.5 % (Polastro < r a/., 1990). Figure 1.1. shows the division of fine chemicals production by outlet. 

Whereas in bulk chemicals manufacture the choice of oxidant is largely restricted to molecular oxygen, the economics of fine chemicals production allow a broader choice of oxidants (see Table 2.8). 

This chapter focuses on heterogeneous catalysis, which is most important in fine chemicals production. Table 3.1 presents a number of examples of catalysis in fine chemistry. These examples are divided in heterogeneously catalysed processes and homogeneously catalysed processes. A detailed treatment of heterogeneously catalysed processes for the production of fine chemicals is also given in the book edited by Sheldon and van Bekkum (2001). 

When hydrogenation is carried out in a continuous process often so-called trickle-ttow reactors are used. Mass-tran.sfer limitations often occur. An elegant improvement is the application of extrudates with a noncircular cross section, which increa.ses the external surface without increasing the pressure drop. Trilohe and Quadrilohe shapes are generally used in oil-refinery processes and they might also be useful in fine chemicals production. 

At present, the major applications of zeolites in catalysis are in the oil refinery. They find increasing application in petrochemical processes. When considering the enormous success of the application of zeolites in bulk chemistry, it is to be expected that the same trend will be seen in fine chemicals production. For this sector, it is fortunate that in bulk chemistry so much development work is being done in catalysis and in particular in zeolite synthesis and application. 

In homogeneous catalysis soluble catalysts are applied, usually in the liquid phase, in contrast to heterogeneous catalysis, where solid catalysts are used. Homogeneous catalysis is applied in many processes in both bulk and fine chemicals production. 

Table 3.12 surveys current industrial applications of enantioselective homogeneous catalysis in fine chemicals production. Most chiral catalyst in Table 3.12 have chiral phosphine ligands (see Fig. 3.54). The DIP AMP ligand, which is used in the production of L-Dopa, one of the first chiral syntheses, possesses phosphorus chirality, (see also Section 4.5.8.1) A number of commercial processes use the BINAP ligand, which has axial chirality. The PNNP ligand, on the other hand, has its chirality centred on the a-phenethyl groups two atoms removed from the phosphorus atoms, which bind to the rhodium ion. Nevertheless, good enantio.selectivity is obtained with this catalyst in the synthesis of L-phenylalanine. 

While batch reactors remain the workhorse in fine chemical production, the need to switch to continuous processes will increase the use of meso- and micro-structured reactors both at the laboratory scale (for discovery, process data determination, demonstration, small-scale production) and at the production level. 

Human life, furthermore, certainly benefits from a less polluted world, and here, again, sol-gel entrapped catalysts are, literally, able to have transferred to within their large inner porosity the whole chemistry of fine chemicals production. Think for instance of an innocuous easily handled orange powder called SiliaCat TEMPO (Chapter 5) that added to a mixture of alcohols at 0 °C with a modest excess of aqueous, cold bleach rapidly converts them into all those fragrances, vitamins, hormones and drugs made of carbonyl compounds. 

BONUS (better optimization of nonlinear uncertain systems) algorithm, in control systems, 26 1046 Book of SEMI Standards (BOSS), in fine chemical production, 11 435 Books... 

Capital investment cost, 9 527-531 estimates of, 9 529-530 Capitalization, in fine chemical production, 11 428... 

Environment Environmental entries Ecology standards, in fine chemical production, 11 433-434 Economic aspects. See Economics Economic-ecological efficiency, 24 196 sustainable development and, 24 188-189... 

Installation qualification (IQ), 11 48 in fine chemical production, 11 433 Instant active dry yeast (IADY), 26 461 Instant coffee, 7 257, 260-262... 

Harmonization (ICH), 18 688 in fine chemical production, 11 435 guidelines, 21 168, 169 International Conference on... 

Standardization (ISO), 9 227 15 741, 755. See also International Standards Organization (ISO) ISO entries in fine chemical production, 11 433-435 flame retardants and, 11 449 life cycle assessment standards of, 14 805, 807... 

Operational performance, primary measurements of, 20 731 Operational qualification (OQ), in fine chemical production, 11 433 Operational systems, for sustainable development, 24 190 Operational testing, piping system,... 

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