US 4,097,414 A · Modified ethylene oxide catalyst and a process for its preparation

Abstract

A novel cesium modified, activated silver catalyst useful in the vapor phase epoxidation of ethylene with a molecular oxygen containing epoxidizing agent is disclosed. The improved catalyst comprises an inorganic, porous support containing metallic silver and an effective amount of a cesium promoter which have been deposited coincidentally on the support. The catalyst is prepared by impregnating a porous inorganic substrate with a solution comprising solvent, a silver carboxylate solubilized in an amine-containing complexing agent selected from (a) diamines wherein at least one amine moiety is primary or secondary, but no more than one is primary; (b) polyamines containing at least three amino moieties wherein at least one is primary or secondary; or (c) amino ethers containing at least one ether linkage and at least one amino moiety which is primary or secondary; And an effective amount of a salt of cesium; and, heating the impregnated support at temperatures of from about 50.degree. C to about 300.degree. C to evaporate volatiles, decompose the complex and activate the catalyst.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A cesium-modified, activated silver catalyst for the vapor phase epoxidation of ethylene with an oxygen-containing epoxidizing agent prepared by:

contacting a porous, inorganic, catalyst support material with an impregnating solution;
and,
heating the impregnated support material at temperatures from about 50.degree. C to 300.degree. C to evaporate volatiles and activate said catalyst,
wherein said impregnating solution comprises an effective amount of a cesium salt in solution with a silver carboxylate amine complex of a silver carboxylate dissolved in a solubilizing amount of an amine-containing complexing agent selected from the group consisting of
(a) aliphatic diamines selected from the group consisting of N-alkyl substituted piperazines and C-alkyl substituted piperazines;
(b) aliphatic polyamines containing at least three amino moieties wherein at least one is primary or secondary;
and
(c) aliphatic amino ethers containing at least one ether linkage and at least one amino moiety which is primary or secondary.

5 more elements

A process for preparing a cesium-modified supported silver-containing catalyst for the vapor phase epoxidation of ethylene with an oxygen-containing epoxidizing agent comprising the steps of:

contacting a porous, inorganic catalyst support material with an impregnating solution comprising an effective amount of a cesium salt dissolved in a silver carboxylate amine complex;
and,
heating the impregnated support material at temperatures from about 50.degree. C to 300.degree. C to evaporate volatiles, decompose said complex and activate said catalyst,
wherein said silver carboxylate-amine complex comprises a silver carboxylate dissolved in a solubilizing amount of an amine-containing complexing agent selected from the group consisting of
(a) aliphatic diamines selected from the group consisting of N-alkyl substituted piperazines and C-alkyl substituted piperazines;
(b) aliphatic polyamines containing at least three amino moieties wherein at least one is primary or secondary;
and
(c) aliphatic amino ethers containing at least one ether linkage and at least one amino moiety which is primary or secondary.

5 more elements

A process for preparing a cesium-modified supported silver-containing catalyst for the vapor phase epoxidation of ethylene with an oxygen-containing epoxidizing agent comprising the steps of:

contacting a porous, inorganic, catalyst support material with an impregnating solution comprising an effective amount of a cesium salt dispersed in a silver carboxylate amine complex comprising a silver carboxylate dissolved in a solubilizing amount of an amine-containing complexing agent selected from the group consisting of
(a) aliphatic diamines selected from the group consisting of N-alkyl substituted piperazines;
(b) aliphatic polyamines containing at least three amino moieties wherein at least one is primary or secondary;
and
(c) aliphatic amino ethers containing at least one ether linkage and at least one amino moiety which is primary or secondary, to impregnate said support material;
drying said support at temperatures from about 50.degree. C to 150.degree. C to evaporate volatiles;
and
heating the dried support material at temperatures from about 200.degree. C to 300.degree. C to decompose said complex and activate said catalyst.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Modified ethylene oxide catalyst and a process for its preparation

Life of this patent

Modified ethylene oxide catalyst and a process for its preparation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31