Process for direct oxidation of methane to acetic acid

US7009074B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• The Regents of the University of California · US
• BP Chemicals Limited · US

Inventors

• Mark Zerella · Berkeley, US
• Sudip Mukhopadhyay · Williamsville, US
• Alexis T. Bell · Oakland, US
• John Glenn Sunley · Corby, GB
• Sander Gaemers · Skirlaugh, GB
• Philip Howard · Jamesville, US
• Brian Ellis · Sunbury-on-Thames, GB
• Andrew Richard Lucy · Cranbrook, GB

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 28, 2004
• Grant date: Mar 7, 2006
• Expiry date: Jul 28, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C51/305
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Acetic acid is produced by oxidation of methane with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of an acid selected from concentrated sulfuric acid and fuming sulfuric acid, a palladium-containing catalyst and a promoter, preferably a copper or iron salt. The addition of a promoter and O2 to a system that includes a palladium-containing catalyst such as PdCl2 increases the rate of acetic acid formation from methane by more than an order of magnitude as compared with prior art and, in addition, inhibits the precipitation of Pd black.