Method of producing lower alcohols from glycerol
First Claim
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1. A process for converting glycerol to a product at high selectivity to propylene glycol and low selectivity to ethylene glycol, comprising:
- providing a gas phase reaction mixture that is essentially free of liquid and containsglycerol with a partial pressure of glycerol in a range from 0.01 bars and 0.5 bars of glycerol, andhydrogen,the reaction mixture being maintained at a total pressure between 0.02 and 10 bars; and
contacting the gas phase reaction mixture with a heterogeneous catalyst at a temperature between 150°
C. and 280°
C. to form propylene glycol.
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Abstract
A reactive-separation process converts glycerin into lower alcohols, having boiling points less than 200° C., at high yields. Conversion of natural glycerin to propylene glycol through an acetol intermediate is achieved at temperatures from 150° to 250° C. at pressures from 1 and 25 bar. The preferred applications of the propylene glycol are as an antifreeze, deicing compound, or anti-icing compound. The preferred catalyst for this process in a copper-chromium.
14 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A process for converting glycerol to a product at high selectivity to propylene glycol and low selectivity to ethylene glycol, comprising:
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providing a gas phase reaction mixture that is essentially free of liquid and contains glycerol with a partial pressure of glycerol in a range from 0.01 bars and 0.5 bars of glycerol, and hydrogen, the reaction mixture being maintained at a total pressure between 0.02 and 10 bars; and contacting the gas phase reaction mixture with a heterogeneous catalyst at a temperature between 150°
C. and 280°
C. to form propylene glycol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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19. A process for converting glycerol to a product at high selectivity to propylene glycol and low selectivity to ethylene glycol, comprising:
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contacting a gas phase reaction mixture with a heterogeneous catalyst, wherein the gas phase that contains essentially no liquid and has a partial pressure of glycerol between 0.01 and 0.5 bars of glycerol and a total pressure between 1 and 15 bars; and establishing a temperature between 150°
C. and 280°
C. to facilitate a reaction. - View Dependent Claims (20, 32)
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23. A process for converting glycerol to a product at high selectivity to a mixture of acetol and propylene glycol and low selectivity to ethylene glycol, comprising:
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contacting a gas phase reaction mixture with a heterogeneous catalyst, wherein the gas phase reaction mixture contains essentially no liquid and has a partial pressure of glycerol between 0.01 and 0.5 bars of glycerol and a partial pressure of hydrogen between 0.01 and 5 bars of hydrogen and a total pressure between 0.02 and 5 bars; and establishing a temperature between 150°
C. and 250°
C. to facilitate a reaction. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 33, 34)
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Specification