Phasing reactor product from hydrogenating acetic acid into ethyl acetate feed to produce ethanol
US9029614B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 20, 2012 |
| Grant date | May 12, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 20, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC07C67/00
- WIPO fieldOrganic fine chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Disclosed herein are processes for alcohol production by reducing ethyl acetate produced by hydrogenating acetic acid in the presence of a suitable catalyst. The product of the acetic acid hydrogenation is fed directly to a decanter to separate the hydrogenation product into an aqueous phase comprising water and ethanol and an organic phase comprising ethyl acetate. The organic phase is reduced with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a crude reaction mixture comprising the alcohol, in particular ethanol, which may be separated from the crude reaction mixture. Thus, ethanol may be produced from acetic acid through an ethyl acetate intermediate without an esterification step. This may reduce the recycle of ethanol in the hydrogenolysis process and improve ethanol productivity.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.