Isopropanol 2-propanol and acetone propanone

Isopropanol (2-propanol) is now manufactured largely by direct hydration of propylene over supported phosphoric acid catalysts at about 180°C and 50-60 atm., though Deutsche Texaco has commercialized the use of an ion-exchange resin as catalyst. 

Some 95% of the U.S. market for acetone (2-propanone) is now supplied by the cumene-phenol process (section 12.11.2), with the remainder produced mainly by dehydrogenation of isopropanol (over a copper or zinc oxide catalyst). In Europe, co-product acetone from HP s naphtha oxidation supplements that from cumene-phenol and isopropanol. 

In 1993 U.S. production of isopropanol had slipped to 0 55 Mt, with only 8% converted to acetone. The major use is in solvents, with some converted to derivatives (e.g. isopropyl esters). European production is believed to be about 0-5 Mt per annum. 

and European production figures for acetone are approximately M and 0-5 Mt per annum respectively. The largest single chemical use (approx. 30%) is in methyl methacrylate manufacture. Of the aldol derivatives, methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) (4-methylpentan-2-one) takes some 10-15%, but several others, such as diacetone alcohol and isophorone, have individual sales of 10 to 25 kt per annum (for brake fluids, speciality solvents, etc.). 

2 Propylene oxide (l-methyloxirane) and glycol (propane-l,2-diol) 

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