Process for the simultaneous production of 1,2- and 1,3-propanediol

US5426249A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Degussa AG · DE

Inventors

• Thomas Haas · Munster, DE
• Armin Neher · Wesseling, DE
• Dietrich Arntz · Oberursel, DE
• Herbert Klenk · Hanau, DE
• Walter Girke · Hanau, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 12, 1993
• Grant date: Jun 20, 1995
• Expiry date: Nov 12, 2013

Classification

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

Abstract

A process is described for the simultaneous production of 1,2- and 1,3-propanediol from glycerol. The process involves the reaction stages (a) dehydration of glycerol by feeding a gaseous glycerol-water mixture with 10 to 40 wt % glycerol at 250.degree. to 340.degree. C. over a solid catalyst with an H.sub.0 value (Hammett acidity function) of less than 2, preferably between -3 and -8.2, (b) hydration of the acrolein contained in the reaction mixture of stage (a), and (c) catalytic hydrogenation of the reaction mixture, containing 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde and hydroxyacetone, of stage (b). Two valuable products, namely 1,2- and 1,3-propanediol, can be obtained simultaneously and in high total yield from glycerol in a simple process.