Process and System for Production of Polypropiolactone

A system, comprising:

• an ethylene oxide source;
• a carbon monoxide source;
• a carbonylation catalyst source;
• a carbonylation solvent source;
• a polymerization catalyst source;
• a polymerization solvent source that is different than the carbonylation solvent source,
• a first reaction zone configured to receive ethylene oxide from the ethylene oxide source, carbon monoxide from the carbon monoxide source, carbonylation catalyst from the carbonylation catalyst source, and carbonylation solvent from the carbonylation solvent source, and to output a beta propiolactone (BPL) product stream from contacting the ethylene oxide and the carbon monoxide with the carbonylation catalyst in a presence of the carbonylation solvent in the first reaction zone, wherein the BPL product stream comprises carbonylation solvent and BPL;
• a carbonylation catalyst recycle loop configured to remove at least a portion of or substantially all of the carbonylation catalyst from the BPL product stream and to direct at least some of the carbonylation catalyst back to the first reaction zone;
• a solvent recycle loop configured to remove at least a portion of the carbonylation solvent from the BPL product stream and return the carbonylation solvent to the first reaction zone;
• and
• a second reaction zone configured to receive the BPL product stream from the solvent recycle loop, a polymerization solvent from the polymerization solvent source, and a polymerization catalyst from the polymerization catalyst source, and to output a PPL product stream from contacting the BPL product stream with the polymerization catalyst in the second reaction zone, wherein the PPL product stream comprises PPL.

A system, comprising:

• a first reaction zone configured to receive ethylene oxide, carbon monoxide, carbonylation catalyst, and carbonylation solvent and to output a beta propiolactone (BPL) product stream from contacting the ethylene oxide and the carbon monoxide with the carbonylation catalyst in a presence of the carbonylation solvent in the first reaction zone,
• a carbonylation catalyst retentate unit configured to remove at least a portion of or substantially all of the carbonylation catalyst from the BPL product stream and to direct at least some of the carbonylation catalyst back to the first reaction zone;
• and
• a second reaction zone configured to receive the BPL product stream, a polymerization solvent, and a polymerization catalyst and/or polymerization initiator, and to output a PPL product stream from contacting the BPL product stream with the polymerization catalyst and/or the polymerization initiator in the second reaction zone, wherein the PPL product stream comprises PPL.