Method for producing monoethylene glycol

US10077223B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Alexander Duefert · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Rolf Pinkos · Bad Dürkheim, DE
• Michael REISER · Kaiserslautern, DE
• Philipp Brüggemann · Erlangen, DE
• Gerhard Theis · Frankenthal (Pfalz), DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 26, 2016
• Grant date: Sep 18, 2018
• Expiry date: Jul 26, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/52
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Process for preparing monoethylene glycol (MEG) by metal-catalyzed reaction of a dialkyl oxalate of the formula I where R1 and R2 are each, independently of one another, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl or isopropyl, with hydrogen (H2), wherein the dialkyl oxalate (I) is used as melt or as a solution in a solvent, dialkyl oxalate (I) and H2 are used in a molar ratio of H2:dialkyl oxalate (I) in the range from 4.0 to 30 and the reaction is carried out continuously in a reactor at a cross-sectional loading of ≥10 m/s, a temperature in the range from 150 to 270° C., a pressure in the range from 150 to 390 bar and in the presence of a chromium-free heterogeneous catalyst comprising copper.