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US 9,428,435 B2Granted
Aldehyde oxidation processes
AssigneeEastman Chemical Company
InventorsDamon Ray Billodeaux, Kenneth Wayne Hampton, Jr., Chad A. Johnson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The oxidation of isobutyraldehyde produces isobutyric acid and byproducts, such as isopropyl formate. A process of reducing the isopropyl formate byproduct and other byproducts in the oxidation of isobutyraldehyde is described. The process uses a carbonyl compound, such as acetone, to reduce byproduct levels in the resulting product. Process for use of static mixers in oxidation reactions of aldehydes are also provided.
Claims37
A process of preparing isobutyric acid, comprising:
- feeding an oxidant, a carbonyl compound and a feed composition comprising isobutyraldehyde to a reaction zone;
- and
- withdrawing from the reaction zone a crude product composition comprising isobutyric acid and at least some of the carbonyl compound,
- wherein the carbonyl compound is selected from C3-C8 alkyl esters having no carbon chain exceeding four carbon atoms and C3-C5 alkyl ketones, wherein the reaction zone has a residence time of less than 120 minutes, and wherein the carbonyl compound is fed to the reaction zone in an amount sufficient to cause the crude product composition to comprise at least 7 weight percent of the carbonyl compound based on the total weight of the crude product composition,
- wherein the feed composition comprises at least some of the carbonyl compound and wherein the feed composition is the result of combining at least two isobutyraldehyde compositions that each comprise isobutyraldehyde.
2 more elements
A process of preparing isobutyric acid, comprising:
- feeding an oxidant, a carbonyl compound and a feed composition comprising isobutyraldehyde to a reaction zone;
- withdrawing from the reaction zone a crude product composition comprising isobutyric acid and at least some of the carbonyl compound;
- concentrating at least some of the carbonyl compound in the crude product composition and at least some of the isobutyraldehyde in the crude product composition into a recycle composition;
- and
- concentrating at least some of the isobutyric acid in the crude product composition into an isobutyric acid product composition;
- and
- feeding at least some of the recycle composition to the reaction zone,
- wherein the carbonyl compound is selected from C3-C8 alkyl esters having no carbon chain exceeding four carbon atoms and C3-C5 alkyl ketones, and wherein the carbonyl compound is fed to the reaction zone in an amount sufficient to cause the crude product composition to comprise at least 7 weight percent of the carbonyl compound based on the total weight of the crude product composition,
- wherein the formation of the isopropyl formate is reduced by from 40% to 70% by weight compared with the production of isobutyric acid in the absence of the carbonyl compound.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.