Process for the epoxidation of olefins

US7169945B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Degussa AG · DE
• UHDE GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Thomas Haas · Munster, DE
• Willi Hofen · Rodenbach, DE
• Wolfgang Wöll · Maintal, DE
• Claudia Brasse · Hanau, DE
• Guido Stochniol · Haltern am See, DE
• Norbert Ullrich · Essen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 26, 2003
• Grant date: Jan 30, 2007
• Expiry date: Feb 9, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/584
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for the catalytic epoxidation of olefins in the presence of a titanium containing zeolite catalyst and a polar solvent whereby the deactivation of the catalyst upon recycling of the solvent has been considerably reduced. In the process one or more nitrogen containing compounds are introduced at some stage, a solvent stream is recovered, treated to contain less than 50 wppm nitrogen in the form of organic nitrogen compounds and at least a part of it is recycled to the epoxidation step. Also disclosed is a process for the catalytic epoxidation of propene which integrates the treatment and recycle of the solvent into the workup of the reaction mixture.