Method for producing acrylic acid

• US 20070129570A1
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Company Limited
• Inventors: Takahashi, Tsukasa, Shima, Masahide
• Granted Patent: US 7,612,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 562/538
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 45/52 by dehydration and rearrangement involving two hydroxy groups in the same molecule
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 47/22 Acryaldehyde; Methacryaldehyde
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/235 of —CHO groups or primary alcohol groups
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/252 of propene, butenes, acrolein or methacrolein
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 57/04 Acrylic acid; Methacrylic acid

Abstract

There is provided a novel process for producing acrylic acid by which acrylic acid can be obtained from a raw material independent of petroleum. The process for producing acrylic acid according to the present invention comprises the steps of: applying a dehydration reaction to glycerol as a raw material in a gas phase; and then applying a gas phase oxidation reaction to a gaseous reaction product formed by the dehydration reaction.

Claims

1. A process for producing acrylic acid, comprising the steps of:

applying a dehydration reaction to glycerol as a raw material in a gas phase; and

then applying a gas phase oxidation reaction to a gaseous reaction product formed by the dehydration reaction.

2. The process for producing acrylic acid according to claim 1, wherein the glycerol is subjected to the dehydration reaction in the form of an aqueous glycerol solution having a water content of not more than 50% by weight.

3. The process for producing acrylic acid according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dehydration reaction and the gas phase oxidation reaction are conducted in a tandem-type reactor.

4. The process for producing acrylic acid according to claim 3, wherein oxygen is added to a gas which is transferred from the dehydration reaction to the gas phase oxidation reaction.

5. The process for producing acrylic acid according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dehydration reaction and the gas phase oxidation reaction are conducted in a single-type reactor.