Electrochemical, dehydrogenation, epoxidation, substitution, and halogenation of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon derivatives
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsMarcel Schreier, Christine E. Lucky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of making alkenes and/or epoxides from alkanes and hydroxy-alkanes, respectively. In a reactor having an anode and a cathode separated by an ion exchange membrane, and containing a solution comprising water, halogen ions, and an alkane and/or a hydroxy-alkane, apply a potential across the anode and the cathode such that a halogenated intermediate is produced at the anode as an anolyte and hydroxyl ions are produced at the cathode as a catholyte; and combining the anolyte and the catholyte to yield an alkene and/or an epoxide.
Claims35
A method of making hydroxy-alkanes, alkenes, and/or epoxides, the method comprising:
- in a reactor comprising an anode and a cathode separated by an ion exchange membrane, and containing a reactant selected from the group consisting of an alkane and a hydroxy-alkane;
- and a solution comprising water, halogen ions, and;
- (a) applying a potential across the anode and the cathode such that a halogenated intermediate is produced at the anode as an anolyte and hydroxyl ions are produced at the cathode as a catholyte;
- and
- (b) combining the anolyte and the catholyte to yield a hydroxy-alkane and/or an alkene when the reactant comprises an alkane and an epoxide when the reactant comprises a hydroxy-alkane.
A method of making ethylene oxide from ethanol, the method comprising:
- in a reactor comprising an anode and a cathode separated by an anion exchange membrane, and containing a solution comprising water, chloride ions, and ethanol;
- (a) applying a potential across the anode and the cathode such that 2-chloro-ethanol is produced at the anode as an anolyte and hydroxyl ions are produced at the cathode as a catholyte;
- and
- (b) combining the anolyte and the catholyte to yield ethylene oxide.
A method of making epoxides from hydroxy-alkanes, the method comprising:
- in a reactor comprising an anode and a cathode and containing a solution comprising water, halogen ions, and a hydroxy-alkane;
- applying a potential across the anode and the cathode such that a halogenated hydroxy-alkane is produced at the anode as an anolyte and hydroxyl ions are produced at the cathode as a catholyte;
- and whereby the anolyte and the catholyte react to yield an epoxide.
A method of making methanol, the method comprising:
- in a reactor comprising an anode and a cathode separated by an ion exchange membrane, and containing a reactant comprising methane, and a solution comprising water and halogen ions;
- (a) applying a potential across the anode and the cathode such that a halogenated intermediate is produced at the anode as an anolyte and hydroxyl ions are produced at the cathode as a catholyte;
- and
- (b) combining the anolyte and the catholyte to yield methanol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.