Process for the preparation of unsaturated esters
AssigneeUnion Oil Company of California
InventorDonald L. Klass
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention comprises the oxidation of olefins to unsaturated esters of organic acids or acetals and/or unsaturated ethers of alcohols by contacting the olefin with an organic acid or alcohol reactant in the presence of a catalyst comprising a compound of a Group VIII noble metal and a redox agent. The catalyst is maintained active by contacting it with oxygen introduced simultaneously or intermittently with the olefin or by circulating the catalyst between separate oxygen and olefin contacting zones. The oxidation can be performed under liquid phase conditions by initiating the contacting with a dissolved catalyst or can be performed under vapor phase conditions by initiating the contacting with the catalyst distended on a solid support.
Claims11
A process for producing unsaturated esters by contacting a substantially anhydrous gas mixture comprising (1) an alkene selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, alpha butylene, beta butylene, pentene, cyclohexene and styrene;
- (2) oxygen, and (3) an alkanoic acid having 1 to about 5 carbon atoms, with a Group VIII noble metal compound and a redox component therefor supported on a solid support, in the presence of a member selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts of said alkanoic acid;
- under conditions sufficient to convert said alkene, oxygen and acid to said unsaturated ester.
The process of preparing vinyl acetate which comprises contacting a vaporous mixture comprising (1) ethylene, (2) an oxygen-containing gas, and (3) acetic acid, with a platinum or palladium compound and a redox component therefor, said compound and said redox component being supported on a solid support, in the presence of a member selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts of acetic acid, under conditions sufficient to convert said ethylene, oxygen, and acetic acid to vinyl acetate.
The process of preparing vinyl acetate which comprises a vaporous mixture comprising (1) ethylene, (2) oxygen, and acetic acid with a palladium compound and a redox component therefor, said compound and said redox component being supported on a solid support, in the presence of a member selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts of acetic acid under conditions sufficient to convert said ethylene, oxygen and acetic acid to said vinyl acetate.
A vapor phase process for the preparation of unsaturated esters which comprises passing a substantially anhydrous gas mixture comprising (1) an unsaturated organic compound selected from the group consisting of alkenes and styrene, (2) a carboxylic acid having the formula R'COOH wherein R' is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aralkyl, aryl and carboxy derivatives thereof having from 1 to 17 carbon atoms per molecule, and (3) oxygen, over a Group VIII noble metal compound and a redox agent therefor, said noble metal compound and said redox agent being supported on a solid support, said gas mixture being contacted with said supported noble metal compound and redox agent in the presence of a member selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts of said alkanoic acid
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.