# US 2008/0188674 A1 · Process for the liquid phase oxidation of ethylbenzene into ethylbenzene hydroperoxide

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- Number: US 2008/0188674 A1
- Document ID: US20080188674A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 11/938,577
- Filed: 2007-11-12
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Earliest claimed: 2006-11-13
- Assignees: Shell Oil Company
- Inventors: Anthonius Johannes Maria Breed; Andrew David Horton; Peter Anton August Klusener
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080188674A1

## CPC

- C07C 409/08: Compounds containing six-membered aromatic rings
- C07C 407/00: Preparation of peroxy compounds
- C07D 301/19: with organic hydroperoxides
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
- C07D: HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS (macromolecular compounds C08)

## Abstract

The invention relates to a process for the liquid phase oxidation of ethylbenzene into ethylbenzene hydroperoxide, wherein the ethylbenzene hydroperoxide concentration is kept below 20 wt. % on the basis of the total weight of the reaction mixture, and wherein styrene and/or a styrene derivative is fed to the ethylbenzene. The concentration of said styrene and/or a styrene derivative may be from 0.01 to 5.0 wt. %.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for the liquid phase oxidation of ethylbenzene into ethylbenzene hydroperoxide, wherein the ethylbenzene hydroperoxide concentration is kept below 20 wt. % on the basis of the total weight of the reaction mixture, and wherein styrene and/or a styrene derivative is fed to the ethylbenzene.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ethylbenzene hydroperoxide concentration is kept below 15 wt. %.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the concentration of styrene and/or a styrene derivative is from 0.01 to 5.0 wt. % on the basis of the total weight of the reaction mixture.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein styrene is fed to the ethylbenzene.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the styrene is fed via a recycle ethylbenzene stream.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the styrene derivative is a styrene derivative wherein one or more of the unsubstituted carbon atoms of styrene is or are substituted by an alkyl group and/or a halogen atom.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the alkyl group is a straight or branched alkyl group comprising from 1 to 10 carbon atoms.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The process as claimed in claim 7, wherein the alkyl group is a methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-butyl, s-butyl or t-butyl group.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the halogen atom is a chlorine atom.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A process for the preparation of an alkylene oxide and styrene, comprising the steps of:
i) oxidizing ethylbenzene into ethylbenzene hydroperoxide according to a process of claim 1;
ii) reacting the ethylbenzene hydroperoxide with an alkene to prepare alkylene oxide and methyl phenyl carbinol; and
iii) dehydrating methyl phenyl carbinol into styrene.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The process as claimed in claim 10, wherein the alkene is propylene.