Patent · US Expired

Process for making ethylene glycol

US3940432A · kind A · utility

12Cited by
7References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 15, 1974
Grant dateFeb 24, 1976
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 15, 1994

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P20/584
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

This invention is concerned with improving the ethylene glycol production capabilities of the metal carbonyl catalyzed reaction between carbon monoxide and hydrogen by conducting the reaction such that the ethylene glycol concentration in the reaction mixture is less than 5 gram moles per liter, preferably between about 0.4 to 5 gram moles per liter of reaction mixture and the molar formation ratio between ethylene glycol and methanol in the reaction mixture exceeds about 0.3. In a preferred embodiment, a continuous process is operated in such a manner that the concentration of ethylene glycol in the product mixture removed from the reactor is greater than the average concentration of ethylene glycol in the reactor.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.