Process for co-production of dialkyl carbonate and alkanediol

• US 6,166,240 A
• Filed: 02/22/2000
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Badger Licensing LLC (TechnipFMC, plc)
• Original Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Hoglen, Larry E., Jiang, Zhaozhong, Chang, Clarence D., LaPierre, Rene B.
• Primary Examiner(s): AMBROSE, MICHAEL GEORGE
• Application Number:
  US09/507,843
• Time in Patent Office: 308 Days
• Field of Search: 558/277
• US Class Current: 558/277
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 68/065 from alkylene carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 69/96 Esters of carbonic or haloformic acids

Abstract

A method is provided for co-producing dialkyl carbonate and alkanediol by reacting alkylene carbonate with alkanol in the presence of a Group 5 or Group 6 metal oxide catalyst.

Claims

1. A method for co-producing dialkyl carbonate and alkanediol comprising reacting alkylene carbonate with alkanol in the presence of a Group 5 or Group 6 metal oxide catalyst.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said Group 6 metal oxide catalyst has a formula AO₃, wherein A is a Group 6 metal and O is oxygen.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said Group 5 metal oxide catalyst has a formula X₂ O₅, wherein X is a Group 5 metal and O is oxygen.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said Group 6 metal is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum or tungsten.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said catalyst is MoO₃.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said alkylene carbonate is ethylene carbonate and said alkanol is methanol.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said catalyst is supported on a porous inorganic substrate.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, zirconia, mesoporous materials, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said substrate is silica.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein reaction temperature is about 20°

C. to about 300°

C., reaction pressure is about 14 to about 4000 psig, liquid hourly space velocity is about 0.1 to about 40 hr^-1, and molar ratio of alkanol to alkylene carbonate is about 1-20.