Adsorbents for the Recovery of Catalyst from Block Co-Polymer Process and Method for Regenerating of the Same

• US 20140012026A1
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SK Geo Centric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: SK Global Chemical Co., Ltd. (SK Innovation Company Limited), SK Innovation Company Limited
• Inventors: Cheon, Young Eun, Kim, Tae Jin, Oh, Seung Hoon, Lee, Jang Jae, Kim, Dong Wook, Choi, Jae Suk, Jung, Woo Sung
• Granted Patent: US 9,073,049 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 556/34
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/00 Separating processes involving the treatment of liquids with solid sorbents using liquid sorbents B01D11/00; ion exchange processes or materials, sorbent materials in general B01J, e.g. sorbents for chromatography B01J20/281; for investigating or analysing materials G01N30/00; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/103 comprising silica
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3433 of sorbents or filter aids other than those covered by B01J20/3408 - B01J20/3425
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3475 in the liquid phase
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2531/0252 Salen ligands or analogues, e.g. derived from ethylenediamine and salicylaldehyde
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2531/845 Cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 31/2243 At least one oxygen and one nitrogen atom present as complexing atoms in an at least bidentate or bridging ligand
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 31/2295 Cyclic compounds, e.g. cyclopentadienyls
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 64/34 and cyclic ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 64/40 Post-polymerisation treatment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/584 Recycling of catalysts

Abstract

Provided is a process for isolating a catalyst from a solution having a copolymer and a catalyst dissolved therein, after performing copolymerization with the catalyst. More specifically the invention provides selection and application of an adsorbent to be used for the isolation.

Claims

1. A process for recovering the catalyst from a solution of copolymer and catalyst dissolved therein by using silica having average pore size of not less than 5 nm, pore volume of 0.75-3.3 cm³/g and production rate of propionaldehyde not more than 0.0035%, and regenerating the silica, which comprises the steps of:

1) contacting a solution having copolymer and catalyst dissolved therein, which was formed after copolymerization of carbon dioxide and epoxide by using a complex containing onium salt as a catalyst, with silica that is not soluble in the solution to result in isolation of the catalyst by means of adsorption of the catalyst on the surface of silica; and

2) treating the silica with catalyst adsorbed thereon with acid to desorb the catalyst from the surface of silica and to regenerate silanol group of silica.

2. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein contact of the solution having copolymer and catalyst dissolved therein with silica in step 1) implies that silica is added to the solution having copolymer and catalyst dissolved therein and the mixture is filtered, or that the solution is passed through a column filled with silica.

3. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the acid treatment of step 2) employs a mixed solution of organic or inorganic acid and polar solvent in a volume ratio of 0.01˜

10;

90˜

99.99.

4. The process in accordance with claim 3, wherein the organic or inorganic acid is one or a mixture of two or more selected from a group consisting of nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid and trifluoroacetic acid.

5. The process in accordance with claim 3, wherein the polar solvent is one or a mixture of two or more selected from a group consisting of C1-C10 alcohols, ketones, furanes and nitriles.

6. The process in accordance with claim 5, wherein the polar solvent is one or a mixture of two or more selected from a group consisting of methanol, ethanol, tetrahydrofuran and acetonitrile.

7. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the complex containing onium salt as a catalyst for step 1) is represented by Chemical Formula (1):