Process for the manufacture of 1-4-butanediol and tetrahydrofuran
AssigneeThe Standard Oil Company
InventorsFrederick A. Pesa, Anne M. Graham
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Abstract
Oxygenated C.sub.4 hydrocarbons, such as maleic anhydride, are hydrogenated to tetrahydrofuran and/or 1,4-butanediol by a process comprising contacting the hydrocarbon with hydrogen at hydrogenation conditions in the presence of less than 25 wt. % water, based on the weight of the hydrocarbon, and a ruthenium-containing hydrogenation catalyst, such as the catalyst of the formula Ru Ni Co Zn.sub.0.4.
Claims10
A process for the manufacture of at least one of tetrahydrofuran and 1,4-butanediol from an oxygenated C.sub.4 hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride, maleic acid, succinic anhydride, succinic acid, .gamma.-butyrolactone and mixtures comprising at least two of these, the process comprising contacting the oxygenated C.sub.4 hydrocarbon with hydrogen at a temperature of about 175.degree. C. to about 275.degree. C. and a pressure of about 750 psi to about 1500 psi in the presence of less than about 25 wt % water, based on the weight of the oxygenated hydrocarbon, and a catalyst of the formula
- Ru.sub.0.01-2 M.sub.0.01-2 M'.sub.0.01-2 M".sub.0.01-1 O.sub.x
- where
- M is at least one of nickel and palladium,
- M' is at least one of iron, cobalt, rhodium, osmium, iridium and platinum,
- M" is at least one of zinc and cadmium, and
- x is a number sufficient to satisfy the valency requirements of the other elements present.
A process for the manufacture of 1,4-butanediol from maleic anhydride, the process comprising contacting a mixture of about 1 to about 20 wt %, based on the total weight of the mixture, of maleic anhydride dissolved in .gamma.-butyrolactone with hydrogen at a temperature of about 230.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C. and a pressure of about 1000 psi to about 1300 psi in the presence of less than about 10 wt % water, based on the total weight of the oxygenated hydrocarbon mixture, and a catalyst of the formula
- Ru.sub.0.01-2 M.sub.0.1-2 M'.sub.0.1-2 Zn.sub.0.3-0.5 O.sub.x (IV)
- where
- M is at least one of nickel and palladium,
- M' is at least one of iron, cobalt and rhodium, and
- x is a number sufficient to satisfy the valency requirements of the other elements present.
A process for the manufacture of tetrahydrofuran from .gamma.-butyrolactone, the process comprising contacting .gamma.-butyrolactone with hydrogen at a temperature of about 175.degree. C. to about 230.degree. C. and a pressure of about 750 psi to about 1300 psi in the presence of less than about 10 wt. % water, based on the total weight of .gamma.-butyrolactone, and a catalyst of the formula
- Ru.sub.0.01-2 M.sub.0.1-2 M'.sub.0.1-2 Zn.sub.0.4-1 O.sub.x (V)
- where
- M is at least one of nickel and palladium,
- M' is at least one of iron, cobalt and rhodium, and
- x is a number sufficient to satisfy the valency requirements of the other elements present.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.