Propylene oxide formation

Direct Oxidation of Propylene to Propylene Oxide. Comparison of ethylene (qv) and propylene gas-phase oxidation on supported silver and silver—gold catalysts shows propylene oxide formation to be 17 times slower than ethylene oxide (qv) formation and the CO2 formation in the propylene system to be six times faster, accounting for the lower selectivity to propylene oxide than for ethylene oxide. Increasing gold content in the catalyst results in increasing acrolein selectivity (198). In propylene oxidation a polymer forms on the catalyst surface that is oxidized to CO2 (199—201). Studies of propylene oxide oxidation to CO2 on a silver catalyst showed a rate oscillation, presumably owing to polymerization on the catalyst surface upon subsequent oxidation (202). 

Titanosilicates molecular sieves, especially TS-1, have been widely studied for the selective oxidation of a variety of organic substrates, using aqueous H202. ° Recently, there have been attempts to substitute aqueous H2O2 by a mixture of H2 and O2 in the presence of metals such as Pd, Pt, Au, etc. Selectivities of 99% for propylene oxide formation from propylene were observed by Haruta and co-workers over Au-containing catalysts. We had also found that the epoxide selectivity in the epoxidation... 

As a consequence of the experimental results for catalyst Sets A and B, appropriate rhodium-containing catalysts were tested as Set C. Figure 3.38 shows the reactor outlet concentration for propylene oxide, acrolein and acetone. A large number of the catalysts tested produce high concentrations of propylene oxide of up to 2000 ppm at 1% conversion of propylene. The combinations Rh-Sn and Rh-In are very effective for propylene oxide formation. In most cases the binary catalysts have higher activity at lower propylene loading. In Figure 3.38, it can also be seen... 

Figure 7.11 The mechanism of propylene oxide formation by propylene oxidation with hydrogen peroxide on PPFe3+0H/Al203 catalyst.

Figure 5.28 Left DEMIS pilot reactor for propylene oxide formation at Degussa site, superposed by schematic on the reactor construction. Right assembly of the reactor internals (by courtesy ofWiley-VCH Verlag GmbH) [61].

Although the main routes to propylene oxide formation are not based on direct catalytic oxidation of propylene, the direct epox-idation of propylene on silver would be financially preferable if high yield and selectivity to propylene oxide could be achieved. Similarly to ethylene oxidation on silver part of the undesirable byproduct CO2 comes from the secondary oxidation of propylene oxide (2,3). The kinetics of the secondary silver catalyzed oxidation of propylene oxide to CO2 and H2O have been studied by very few investigators (2). 

Similar to the basic surface studies discussed above, promoters often show markedly different behaviors depending on the alkene species used. Lambert and co-workers (68) reported a study of ethene and propene epoxidation with different promoters that showed no real correlation based on the promoter used. In the case of NOx species as promoters, there was no effect for the formation of propylene oxide, which is interesting considering the high activity of NO in formation of ethylene oxide. Also, addition of potassium ions into the NO promoter feed decreased both activity and selectivity for propylene oxide formation, again completely opposite to the behavior seen for EO. As in the other surface studies, the authors postulate a chemical effect from the presence of allylic hydrogens. 

In the group of olefins, ethylene is the only one which can be oxidized with a high efficiency to an epoxide. The yield from propylene is very low. Also, Ag is the only good catalyst for the process. Investigations, in which [14-C]ethylene oxide or 2-[14-C]propylene oxide was co-oxidized with the corresponding olefin, were undertaken to examine the relative stabilities of the epoxides.It was evident from these experiments that the low selectivity of Ag for propylene oxide formation, as compared with ethylene oxide, was not due to the instability of gas phase propylene oxide under reaction conditions. 

Figure 1.7 Propylene oxide formation from propylene with cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) as a recyclable oxidizing agent. After hydrogenolysis of the alcohol (which is the reduction product) to cumene, cumene hydroperoxide is generated again through oxidation of the cumene in air. Adapted from Ref. (197a), with permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Such tandem approaches to selective epoxidation have been previously reported for TS-1 supported Au [144, 145] or Pd [146] nanoparticles as catalysts. These displayed good selectivity for propylene oxide formation in gas-phase reactions [147-150]. Less often, Ti-mesoporous silica materials such Ti-MCM-41 and -48 by Haruta [151] or Ti-SBA-15 by Nijhuis [152] were used. 

Feasibility of propylene epoxidation has been proved with a Pd-Pt/TS-1 or TS-1 catalyst in a continuous fixed-bed reactor at high pressvure. Initial selectivity can reach 99%, but the catalyst deactivated rapidly and selectivity shifted towards methyl formate. Operation in SCCO2 had a beneficial effect on propylene oxide formation compared to N2 and other solvents, due to the improved removal of deposits from the catalyst surface. 

Figure 11.31 (a) DEMiS pilot reactor for propylene oxide formation at Degussa site, superposed... 

As of this writing, the process has not been commercialized, but apparendy the alcohol can be separated from its propylene oxide coproduct process to maintain an economically competitive position. The formation of organic hydroperoxides is a concern, as it was in the Shell process. 

Isoprene [78-79-5] (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene) is a colorless, volatile Hquid that is soluble in most hydrocarbons but is practically insoluble in water. Isoprene forms binary azeotropes with water, methanol, methylamine, acetonitrile, methyl formate, bromoethane, ethyl alcohol, methyl sulfide, acetone, propylene oxide, ethyl formate, isopropyl nitrate, methyla1 (dimethoxymethane), ethyl ether, and / -pentane. Ternary azeotropes form with water—acetone, water—acetonitrile, and methyl formate—ethyl bromide (8). Typical properties of isoprene are Hsted in Table 1. 

Polyester resins can also be rapidly formed by the reaction of propylene oxide (5) with phthaUc and maleic anhydride. The reaction is initiated with a small fraction of glycol initiator containing a basic catalyst such as lithium carbonate. Molecular weight development is controlled by the concentration of initiator, and the highly exothermic reaction proceeds without the evolution of any condensate water. Although this technique provides many process benefits, the low extent of maleate isomerization achieved during the rapid formation of the polymer limits the reactivity and ultimate performance of these resins. 

Propylene oxide is a colorless, low hoiling (34.2°C) liquid. Table 1 lists general physical properties Table 2 provides equations for temperature variation on some thermodynamic functions. Vapor—liquid equilibrium data for binary mixtures of propylene oxide and other chemicals of commercial importance ate available. References for binary mixtures include 1,2-propanediol (14), water (7,8,15), 1,2-dichloropropane [78-87-5] (16), 2-propanol [67-63-0] (17), 2-methyl-2-pentene [625-27-4] (18), methyl formate [107-31-3] (19), acetaldehyde [75-07-0] (17), methanol [67-56-1] (20), ptopanal [123-38-6] (16), 1-phenylethanol [60-12-8] (21), and / /f-butanol [75-65-0] (22,23). 

Hydrogenolysis of propylene oxide yields primary and secondary alcohols as well as the isomeri2ation products of acetone and propionaldehyde. Pd and Pt catalysts favor acetone and 2-propanol formation (83—85). Ni and Cu catalysts favor propionaldehyde and 1-propanol formation (86,87). 

Methyl formate and propylene oxide have close boiling poiats, making separation by distillation difficult. Methyl formate is removed from propylene oxide by hydrolysis with an aqueous base and glycerol, followed by phase separation and distillation (152,153). Methyl formate may be hydrolyzed to methanol and formic acid by contacting the propylene oxide stream with a basic ion-exchange resia. Methanol and formic acid are removed by extractive distillation (154). 

Fiaal purification of propylene oxide is accompHshed by a series of conventional and extractive distillations. Impurities ia the cmde product iaclude water, methyl formate, acetone, methanol, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, and some heavier hydrocarbons. Conventional distillation ia one or two columns separates some of the lower boiling components overhead, while taking some of the higher boilers out the bottom of the column. The reduced level of impurities are then extractively distilled ia one or more columns to provide a purified propylene oxide product. The solvent used for extractive distillation is distilled ia a conventional column to remove the impurities and then recycled (155,156). A variety of extractive solvents have been demonstrated to be effective ia purifyiag propylene oxide, as shown ia Table 4. 

Ethylbenzene Hydroperoxide Process. Figure 4 shows the process flow sheet for production of propylene oxide and styrene via the use of ethylbenzene hydroperoxide (EBHP). Liquid-phase oxidation of ethylbenzene with air or oxygen occurs at 206—275 kPa (30—40 psia) and 140—150°C, and 2—2.5 h are required for a 10—15% conversion to the hydroperoxide. Recycle of an inert gas, such as nitrogen, is used to control reactor temperature. Impurities ia the ethylbenzene, such as water, are controlled to minimize decomposition of the hydroperoxide product and are sometimes added to enhance product formation. Selectivity to by-products include 8—10% acetophenone, 5—7% 1-phenylethanol, and <1% organic acids. EBHP is concentrated to 30—35% by distillation. The overhead ethylbenzene is recycled back to the oxidation reactor (170—172). 

Selectivity of propylene oxide from propylene has been reported as high as 97% (222). Use of a gas cathode where oxygen is the gas, reduces required voltage and eliminates the formation of hydrogen (223). Addition of carbonate and bicarbonate salts to the electrolyte enhances ceU performance and product selectivity (224). Reference 225 shows that use of alternating current results in reduced current efficiencies, especiaHy as the frequency is increased. Electrochemical epoxidation of propylene is also accompHshed by using anolyte-containing silver—pyridine complexes (226) or thallium acetate complexes (227,228). 

Propylene oxide has found use in the preparation of polyether polyols from recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) (264), haUde removal from amine salts via halohydrin formation (265), preparation of flame retardants (266), alkoxylation of amines (267,268), modification of catalysts (269), and preparation of cellulose ethers (270,271). 

Emulsion polymerizations of vinyl acetate in the presence of ethylene oxide- or propylene oxide-based surfactants and protective coUoids also are characterized by the formation of graft copolymers of vinyl acetate on these materials. This was also observed in mixed systems of hydroxyethyl cellulose and nonylphenol ethoxylates. The oxyethylene chain groups supply the specific site of transfer (111). The concentration of insoluble (grafted) polymer decreases with increase in surfactant ratio, and (max) is observed at an ethoxylation degree of 8 (112). 

These products are characterized in terms of moles of substitution (MS) rather than DS. MS is used because the reaction of an ethylene oxide or propylene oxide molecule with ceUulose leads to the formation of a new hydroxyl group with which another alkylene oxide molecule can react to form an oligomeric side chain. Therefore, theoreticaUy, there is no limit to the moles of substituent that can be added to each D-glucopyranosyl unit. MS denotes the average number of moles of alkylene oxide that has reacted per D-glucopyranosyl unit. Because starch is usuaUy derivatized to a considerably lesser degree than is ceUulose, formation of substituent poly(alkylene oxide) chains does not usuaUy occur when starch is hydroxyalkylated and DS = MS. 

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