Production of propylene via simultaneous dehydration and skeletal isomerisation of isobutanol on acid catalysts followed by metathesis

US9260355B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• TOTAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY FELUY · BE

Inventors

• Walter Vermeiren · Houthalen-Helchteren, BE
• Cindy Adam · Wierde, BE
• Delphine Minoux · Nivelles, BE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 15, 2011
• Grant date: Feb 16, 2016
• Expiry date: Jun 26, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/52
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for production of propylene can include simultaneously subjecting isobutanol to dehydration and skeletal isomerization to make a mixture of n-butenes and iso-butene. The n-butenes can be subjected to methathesis. The process can include introducing isobutanol into a dehydration/isomerization reactor and contacting the isobutanol with a catalyst at conditions effective to dehydrate and skeletal isomerase the isobutanol to make a mixture of n-butenes and iso-butene. A mixture of n-butenes and iso-butene can be recovered and fractionated to produce an n-butenes stream. The n-butenes stream can be sent to a methathesis reactor and contacted with a catalyst at conditions effective to produce propylene. A stream can be recovered from the methathesis reactor that includes propylene, unreacted n-butenes, heavies, and optionally unreacted ethylene. The stream can be fractionated to recover propylene, and the unreacted n-butenes and unreacted ethylene can optionally be recycled to the methathesis reactor.