Epoxidation catalyst and process
US7820840B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 7, 2009 |
| Grant date | Oct 26, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 7, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC07D301/10
- WIPO fieldOrganic fine chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a catalytic method of converting alkenes to epoxides. This method generally includes reacting alkenes with oxygen in the presence of a specific silver catalyst under conditions suitable to produce a yield of the epoxides. The specific silver catalyst is a silver nanocrystal having a plurality of surface planes, a substantial portion of which is defined by Miller indices of (100). The reaction is performed by charging a suitable reactor with this silver catalyst and then feeding the reactants to the reactor under conditions to carry out the reaction. The reaction may be performed in batch, or as a continuous process that employs a recycle of any unreacted alkenes. The specific silver catalyst has unexpectedly high selectivity for epoxide products. Consequently, this general method (and its various embodiments) will result in extraordinarily high epoxide yields heretofore unattainable.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.