# US 7,608,728 B2 · Method for producing propylene oxide

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 7,608,728 B2
- Document ID: US7608728B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/555,961
- Filed: 2004-05-10
- Published: 2007-02-22
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2003-05-08
- Assignees: BASF SE
- Inventors: Ulrich Mueller; Georg Krug; Peter Rudolf; Joaquim Henrique Teles; Hans-Georg Goebbel; Peter Bassler
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608728B2

## CPC

- C07D 301/12: with hydrogen peroxide or inorganic peroxides or peracids
- Y02P 20/52: using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts
- C07D: HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS (macromolecular compounds C08)
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Process for preparing propylene oxide, which comprises at least the steps (i) and (ii): (i) providing a catalyst comprising at least one porous oxidic material; (ii) reacting propene with a hydroperoxide in at least one nitrile as solvent or in a solvent mixture comprising at least one nitrile in the presence of the catalyst of (i), wherein the at least one porous oxidic material is a zeolite which is assigned X-ray-crystallographically to the MWW type.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for preparing propylene oxide, which comprises at least the steps (i) and (ii):
(i) providing a catalyst comprising at least one porous oxidic material,
wherein the provision of the catalyst in (i) comprises at least the steps (a) and (b):
(a) preparing the at least one porous oxidic material;
(b) producing a shaped body using the porous oxidic material obtained in (a);
wherein the production of the shaped body in (b) comprises at least the steps (aa) to (dd):
(aa) kneading the porous oxidic material in (a) with addition of at least one binder or at least one extrusion aid or at least one pore former or a water-containing composition or a mixture of two or more thereof;
(bb) shaping the kneaded mixture obtained in (aa) to give at least one shaped body;
(cc) drying the shaped body obtained in (bb); and
(dd) calcining the dried shaped body obtained in (cc);
wherein at least one pore former is added in step (aa);
(ii) reacting propene with a hydroperoxide in at least one nitrile as solvent or in a solvent mixture comprising at least one nitrile in the presence of the catalyst of (i);
wherein the at least one porous oxidic material is a zeolite which is assigned X ray crystallographically to the MWW type.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the selectivity to the epoxide downstream products, based on hydroperoxide, is not more than 10%.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the zeolite of the MWW type is a titanium zeolite.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The process of claim 3, wherein the selectivity to the epoxide downstream products, based on hydroperoxide, is not more than 10%.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the hydroperoxide is hydrogen peroxide and the at least one nitrile is acetonitrile.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The process of claim 5, wherein the zeolite of the MWW type is a titanium zeolite.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The process of claim 6, wherein the selectivity to the epoxide downstream products, based on hydroperoxide, is not more than 10%.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the reaction in (ii) is carried out in at least one continuously operated reactor at from 20 to 80° C. and pressures in the range from 15 to 45 bar.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8, wherein the zeolite of the MWW type is a titanium zeolite.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The process of claim 9, wherein the selectivity to the epoxide downstream products, based on hydroperoxide, is not more than 10%.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The process of claim 6, wherein the reaction in (ii) is carried out in at least one continuously operated reactor at from 20 to 80° C. and pressures in the range from 15 to 45 bar.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

The process of claim 6, wherein the reaction in (ii) is carried out in at least one continuously operated reactor at from 20 to 80° C. and at pressures in the range from 15 to 45 bar.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The process of claim 12, wherein the selectivity to the epoxide downstream products, based on hydrogen peroxide, is not more than 10%.