Synthesis of caprolactam using catalysts
AssigneeMobil Oil Corporation
InventorsMinas R. Apelian, Weldon K. Bell, Anthony S. Fung, Werner O. Haag, Chaya Venkat
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Abstract
A process for catalytically converting cyclohexanone oxime to epsilon caprolactam. The conversion catalyst is a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite having a Constraint Index greater than 1 and a reduced surface acidity. The surface acidity is reduced by selective surface dealumination of the crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite by contacting the zeolite with dicarboxylic acid, such as oxalic acid.
Claims21
In a process for the manufacture of epsilon-caprolactam by contacting cyclohexanone oxime under conversion conditions with a catalyst composition comprising a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite having a Constraint Index greater than 1 and an Alpha Value in the range of from about 0.1 to about 50, the improvement comprising treating said crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite with dicarboxylic acid prior to said contacting step for a sufficient time to effect at least about a 40% reduction in surface acidity with less than about 50% overall dealumination.
In a process for the manufacture of epsilon-caprolactam by contacting cyclohexanone oxime under conversion conditions with a catalyst composition comprising a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite having a Constraint Index greater than 1 and an Alpha Value in the range of from about 0.1 to about 50, the improvement comprising treating said crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite with oxalic acid prior to said contacting step for a sufficient time to effect at least about a 40% reduction in surface acidity with less than about 50% overall dealumination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.