# US 8,785,678 B2 · Continuous process for the carbonylation of ethylene > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,678 B2 - Document ID: US8785678B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/515,585 - Filed: 2010-12-15 - Published: 2012-11-01 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-12-15 - Assignees: Lucite International UK Limited - Applicants: Eastham Graham Ronald; Neil Tindale - Inventors: Eastham Graham Ronald; Neil Tindale - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785678B2 ## CPC - C07C 67/38: by addition to an unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bond - Y02P 20/582: Recycling of unreacted starting or intermediate materials - C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A continuous process for carbonylation of ethylene in a liquid phase using carbon monoxide, a co-reactant and a suitable catalyst system, including: (i) forming a liquid phase comprising the co-reactant and a suitable catalyst system obtainable by combining: (a) a group VIII metal/compound; (b) a ligand of general formula (I) and c) optionally, a source of anions; wherein Q1 is optionally phosphorous; (ii) forming a gaseous phase in contact with the liquid phase by providing at least an ethylene gas input feed stream and a carbon monoxide gas input feed stream wherein the ethylene:CO molar ratio entering the liquid phase from the input feed streams is greater than 2:1; (iii) reacting ethylene with carbon monoxide in the presence of the co-reactant, and of the suitable catalyst system in the liquid phase; wherein the ethylene:CO gas molar ratio in the gaseous phase is between 20:1 and 1000:1 or wherein the molar ratio of ethylene:CO in the liquid phase is greater than 10:1. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A continuous process for the carbonylation of ethylene in a liquid phase using carbon monoxide in the presence of a co-reactant having a mobile hydrogen atom and a suitable catalyst system comprising the steps of: (i) forming a liquid phase comprising the co-reactant having a mobile hydrogen atom and the suitable catalyst system; the catalyst system obtainable by combining: (a) a metal of Group 8, 9 or 10 or a suitable compound thereof; (b) a ligand of general formula (I) wherein the groups X3 and X4 independently represent univalent radicals of up to 30 atoms or X3 and X4 together form a bivalent radical of up to 40 atoms and X5 has up to 400 atoms; Q1 represents phosphorus, arsenic or antimony; and c) optionally, a source of anions; (ii) forming a gaseous phase in contact with the liquid phase by providing at least an ethylene gas input feed stream and a carbon monoxide gas input feed stream wherein the ethylene:CO molar ratio entering the liquid phase from the input feed streams is greater than 2:1; and (iii) reacting ethylene with carbon monoxide in the presence of the co-reactant, and of the suitable catalyst system in the liquid phase; wherein the ethylene:CO gas molar ratio in the gaseous phase is between 20:1 and 1000:1. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst is replenished as the reaction proceeds. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst concentration is generally maintained throughout the continuous reaction so that the rate of addition matches the rate of catalyst decay. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the ethylene and carbon monoxide input feed streams are combined into a single input feed stream prior to contact with the liquid phase and therefore the ethylene:CO molar ratio in the single combined input feed stream is greater than 2:1. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the ethylene:CO gas molar ratio in the gaseous phase of the reactor is between 40:1 and 200:1. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the ethylene:CO gas molar ratio in the reactor is either between 30:1 and 49:1 or 51:1 and 150:1. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the ethylene:CO molar ratio in the gaseous input feed stream(s) of the reactor, including any recycled ethylene and CO, is between 2:1 and 20:1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the molar ratio of ethylene:CO in the liquid phase is greater than 10:1. ### Claim 9 A continuous process for the carbonylation of ethylene in a liquid phase using carbon monoxide in the presence of a co-reactant having a mobile hydrogen atom and a suitable catalyst system comprising the steps of: (i) forming a liquid phase comprising the co-reactant having a mobile hydrogen atom and the suitable catalyst system; the catalyst system obtainable by combining: (a) a metal of Group 8, 9 or 10 or a suitable compound thereof; (b) a ligand of general formula (I) wherein the groups X3 and X4 independently represent univalent radicals of up to 30 atoms or X3 and X4 together form a bivalent radical of up to 40 atoms and X5 has up to 400 atoms; Q1 represents phosphorus, arsenic or antimony; and c) optionally, a source of anions; (ii) forming a gaseous phase in contact with the liquid phase by providing at least an ethylene gas input feed stream and a carbon monoxide gas input feed stream to the liquid phase; and (iii) reacting ethylene with carbon monoxide in the presence of the co-reactant, and of the suitable catalyst system in the liquid phase; wherein the molar ratio of ethylene:CO in the liquid phase is greater than 10:1. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the ethylene:CO molar ratio entering the liquid phase from the input feed streams is greater than 2:1. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein preferably, the liquid phase is well mixed during the reaction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the liquid phase is mixed using a dual impeller mixer which mixes in two opposed directions in the reactor so that forward flow and back flow are achieved simultaneously. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the phosphine, arsine or stibine ligand is a bidentate ligand, wherein X5 represents wherein H is a bivalent organic bridging group with 1-6 atoms in the bridge; and the groups X1, X2, X3 and X4 independently represent univalent radicals of up to 30 atoms, optionally having at least one tertiary carbon atom via which the group is joined to the Q1 or Q2 atom, or X1 and X2 and/or X3 and X4 together form a bivalent radical of up to 40 atoms, optionally having at least two tertiary carbon atoms via which the radical is joined to the Q1 and/or Q2 atom. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, wherein the ethylene:CO gas molar ratio in the reactor is between 51:1 and 150:1.