Process for preparing ethanol
US6545191B1 · kind B1 · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 13, 2002 |
| Grant date | Apr 8, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 13, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC07C29/124
- WIPO fieldOrganic fine chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The specification discloses a process for the production of ethyl alcohol (ethanol), the process comprising first and second reaction steps operated in tandem. In the first reaction step, ethyl chloride, hydrogen chloride, perchloroethylene and oxygen are reacted in the presence of a catalyst, using ethane as a diluent, to yield reaction products comprising ethyl alcohol and hexachloroethane. Substantially all of the oxygen and hydrogen chloride reactants of this first reaction step are consumed. The ethyl alcohol is isolated from these reaction products. In the second reaction step, the hexachloroethane from the first reaction step is reacted with ethane to produce the ethyl chloride, hydrogen chloride, and perchloroethylene used as reactants in the first reaction step. These reaction products are supplied to the first reaction step, along with any unreacted ethane.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.