Method for producing propylene oxide

• US 8,211,822 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BASF AG (BASF SE)
• Original Assignee: BASF AG (BASF SE)
• Inventors: Mueller, Ulrich, Krug, Georg, Rudolf, Peter, Teles, Joaquim Henrique, Goebbel, Hans-Georg, Bassler, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): DENTZ, BERNARD I
• Application Number:
  US12/556,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20100003173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 502/242
• US Class Current: 502/242
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 301/12 with hydrogen peroxide or inorganic peroxides or peracids
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/52 using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts

Abstract

Process for preparing propylene oxide, which comprises at least the steps (i) and (ii):

• (i) providing a catalyst comprising at least one porous oxidic material;
• (ii) reacting propene with a hydroperoxide in at least one nitrile as solvent or in a solvent mixture comprising at least one nitrile in the presence of the catalyst of (i),
  wherein the at least one porous oxidic material is a zeolite which is assigned X-ray-crystallographically to the MWW type.

Claims

1. A shaped catalyst body, comprising:

at least one porous oxidic material as catalytically active material,

wherein the porous oxidic material is a titanium zeolite which is assigned X-ray-crystallographically to the MWW type, said shaped catalyst body being obtainable by a process comprising;

(a) preparing the at least one porous oxidic material;

(b) producing a shaped body using the porous oxidic material obtained in (a), by a process comprising;

(aa) kneading the porous oxidic material obtained in (a) with addition of a polystyrene dispersion as a pore former and optionally, at least one other pore former, and optionally at least one binder or at least one extrusion aid or a water-containing composition or a mixture of two or more thereof;

(bb) shaping the kneaded mixture obtained in (aa) or give at least one shaped body;

(cc) drying the shaped body obtained in (bb);

(dd) calcining the dried shaped body obtained in (cc).

2. A shaped catalyst body,

comprising:

at least one porous oxidic material as catalytically active material,

wherein the porous oxidic material is a titanium zeolite which is assigned X-ray-crystallographically to the MWW type, said shaped catalyst body being obtainable by a process comprising;

(a) preparing the at least one porous oxidic material;

(b) producing a shaped body using the porous oxidic material obtained in (a), by a process comprising;

(aa) kneading the porous oxidic material obtained in (a) with addition of at least one binder or at least one extrusion aid or at least one pore former or a water-containing composition or a mixture of two or more thereof;

(bb) shaping the kneaded mixture obtained in (aa) or give at least one shaped body;

(cc) drying the shaped body obtained in (bb);

(dd) calcining the dried shaped body obtained in (cc),

wherein after any one of (bb), (cc), or (dd) the shaped body obtained in (bb) is brought into contact with a water-containing composition at a temperature of from 100 to 250°

C.

3. The shaped catalyst body of claim 2, wherein the water-containing composition is water.

4. The shaped catalyst body of claim 2, wherein the contacting with a water-containing composition is conducted at a temperature ranging from 120 to 250°

C.

5. The shaped catalyst body of claim 2, wherein the contacting lasts for a duration of from 12 to 48 h.

6. The shaped catalyst body of claim 2, wherein the contacting takes place in an autoclave.

7. The shaped catalyst body of claim 6, wherein when the shaped body is brought into contact with a water-containing composition after (cc) or (dd), said bringing into contact is followed by a further drying and/or calcination step.

8. The shaped catalyst body of claim 2, wherein in (aa) at least one pore former is added, said pore former being a polystyrene dispersion.