Liquid phase preparation of (meth)-acrylate from alpha-olefin
AssigneeQueen's University at Kingston
InventorsBarrie W. Jackson, Thomas J. Harris
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Abstract
A liquid phase process for the preparation of an (meth)-acrylate, such as methyl methacrylate, in the presence of water and a bi-functional, heterogeneous catalyst which contains both acidic and noble metal functional groups. The preferred (meth)-acrylate is methyl methacrylate (MMA). A surprising amount of MMA is produced, in spite of a competitive side reaction which produces methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE).
Claims15
A process for producing an (meth)-acrylate which comprises reacting, in the liquid phase, a C.sub.3 to 6 alpha-olefin with oxygen and a lower alcohol in the presence of (a) water and (b) a heterogeneous bi-functional catalyst having both of acidic functionality and catalytic metal functionality, wherein said metallic catalyst consists essentially of a metal selected from the Group VIII metals of the Periodic Table.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.