Process for preparing propylene oxide

US9738616B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• BASF SE
• DOW GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC · US

Inventors

• Dominic RIEDEL · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Joaquim Henrique Teles · Waldsee, DE
• Ulrike Wegerle · Worms, DE
• Andrei-Nicolae Parvulescu · Ludwigshafen am Rhein, DE
• Alexander Schroeder · Wattenheim, DE
• Luise Spiske · Seeheim-Jugenheim, DE
• Daniel Urbanczyk · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Ulrich Mueller · Hamburg, DE
• Werner J. Witzl · Stade, DE
• Meinolf Weidenbach · Stade, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 16, 2014
• Grant date: Aug 22, 2017
• Expiry date: Jul 16, 2034

Classification

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

Abstract

A continuous process for the preparation of propylene oxide, comprising (i) providing a liquid feed stream comprising propene, hydrogen peroxide, acetonitrile, water, optionally propane, and at least one dissolved potassium salt; (ii) passing the feed stream provided in (i) into an epoxidation reactor comprising a catalyst comprising a titanium zeolite of structure type MWW, and subjecting the feed stream to epoxidation reaction conditions in the epoxidation reactor, obtaining a reaction mixture comprising propylene oxide, acetonitrile, water, the at least one potassium salt, optionally propene, and optionally pane; (iii) removing an effluent stream from the epoxidation reactor, the effluent stream comprising propylene oxide, acetonitrile, water, at least a portion of the at least one potassium salt, optionally propene, and optionally propane.