Process for preparing acrylic acid from methanol and acetic acid

US9593065B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Lukas SCHULZ · Mannheim, DE
• Nicolai Tonio Woerz · Darmstadt, DE
• Tim Blaschke · Stuttgart, DE
• Marco Hartmann · Jockgrim, DE
• Frank Huetten · Mannheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 9, 2015
• Grant date: Mar 14, 2017
• Expiry date: Jul 9, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C57/04
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for preparing acrylic acid from methanol and acetic acid, comprising (i) contacting a gaseous stream S0 comprising methanol, oxygen and inert gas with an oxidation catalyst to obtain a gaseous stream S1 comprising formaldehyde and inert gas; (ii) removing at least a portion of the inert gas present in S1 from at least a portion of the formaldehyde present in S1 by absorbing this formaldehyde in an absorbent to obtain a gaseous stream S2 comprising the portion of the inert gas removed, and to obtain a stream S3 comprising absorbent and absorbate comprising formaldehyde; (iii) optionally removing a portion or the entirety of the absorbent present in stream S3, such that a stream S3a remains from stream S3, and producing a stream S4 from at least stream S3 or stream S3a and a stream S5 comprising acetic acid; and (iv) contacting stream S4 in gaseous form with an aldol condensation catalyst to obtain a gaseous stream S6 comprising acrylic acid.