Method for the production of maleic anhydride

US7345167B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Mark Duda · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Otto Machhammer · Mannheim, DE
• Alexander Weck · Freinsheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 6, 2004
• Grant date: Mar 18, 2008
• Expiry date: Aug 18, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C51/215
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for preparing maleic anhydride by oxidizing n-butane in the gas phase under heterogeneous catalysis with oxygen-containing gases over a vanadium-, phosphorus- and oxygen-containing catalyst in a reactor unit at a temperature in the range from 350 to 500° C., removing the maleic anhydride formed to form a gas stream which comprises unconverted n-butane and water and recycling at least a portion of the unconverted n-butane to the reactor unit, by feeding to the reactor unit an inlet stream having an n-butane concentration of from 0.5 to 1.5% by volume and an oxygen concentration of from 5 to 21% by volume, establishing a pressure at the inlet to the reactor unit of from 0.4 to 2 MPa abs, and converting from 40 to 100% of the n-butane from the inlet stream per reactor pass.