Integrated process for synthesizing alcohols, ethers, and olefins from alkanes
AssigneesGRI, Inc., The Regents of the University of California
InventorPhil Grosso
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Alcohols, ethers, and olefins are manufactured from alkanes by mixing an alkane and bromine in a reactor to form alkyl bromide and hydrogen bromide. The alkyl bromide is directed into contact with metal oxide to form an alcohol and/or an ether, or an olefin and metal bromide. The metal bromide from the alkyl bromide metal oxide reaction is oxidized to form original metal oxide and bromine, both of which are recycled. The hydrogen bromide is separately directed into contact with metal oxide to form water and metal bromide. The metal bromide from the hydrogen bromide metal oxide is oxidized to form the original metal oxide which is recycled.
Claims11
A method for converting methane to methanol comprising:
- providing a quantity of methane;
- providing a quantity of bromine;
- reacting the methane with the bromine and thereby forming bromomethane, hydrogen bromide, and by products CH2Br2, CHBr3, and CBr4;
- reacting the by products with methane in the presence of an electrophilic catalyst to form bromomethane;
- reacting the bromomethane formed by reacting methane with bromine and the bromomethane formed by reacting the by products with methane with a metal oxide and thereby forming methanol and a metal bromide;
- oxidizing the metal bromide from the bromomethane metal oxide reaction to form the original metal oxide and bromine;
- recycling the metal oxide;
- recycling the bromine;
- separately reacting the hydrogen bromide with a metal oxide and thereby forming water and metal bromide;
- oxidizing the metal bromide from the hydrogen bromide metal oxide reaction to form the original metal oxide;
- and
- recycling the metal oxide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.