Method for providing a co-feed in the coupling of toluene with a carbon source

• US 8,653,314 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc. (Totalenergies Se)
• Original Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc. (Totalenergies Se)
• Inventors: Pelati, Joseph E., Butler, James R., Chinta, Sivadinarayana
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Thuan D
• Application Number:
  US13/457,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20120296139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 585/437, 585/469
• US Class Current: 585/437
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 15/46 Styrene; Ring-alkylated styrenes
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 2/864 the non-hydrocarbon is an alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 2/865 the non-hydrocarbon is an ether
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 2/867 the non-hydrocarbon is an aldehyde or a ketone
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 2529/08 of the faujasite type, e.g. type X or Y
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/20 using bio-feedstock
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/40 Ethylene production

Abstract

A process for making styrene is disclosed that includes reacting toluene with a C₁ source and a co-feed in the presence of a catalyst in a reactor to form a first product stream comprising styrene, ethylbenzene, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen; separating the hydrogen and carbon monoxide from the first product stream to form a second stream; separating the hydrogen from the second stream to form a third stream comprising hydrogen and a fourth stream comprising carbon monoxide; wherein the fourth stream is recycled to the reactor and forms at least a portion of the co-feed.

Claims

1. A method of making styrene, comprising:

reacting toluene with a C₁ source and a co-feed in the presence of a catalyst in a reactor to form a first product stream comprising styrene, ethylbenzene, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen;

separating the hydrogen and carbon monoxide from the first product stream to form a second stream;

separating the hydrogen from the second stream to form a third stream comprising hydrogen and a fourth stream comprising carbon monoxide;

wherein the fourth stream is recycled to the reactor and forms at least a portion of the co-feed;

wherein the C₁ source is selected from the group consisting of methanol, formaldehyde, formalin, trioxane, methylformcel, paraformaldehyde, methylal, dimethyl ether, and combinations thereof;

wherein the catalyst comprises at least one promoter on a support material comprising a zeolite;

wherein the at least one promoter is selected from the group consisting of Ce, Cu, P, Co, Cs, Ga, and B and combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the co-feed is present in amounts of 0.1 to 50 wt % of the combined feed of the toluene, co-feed and C₁ source.

3. The method of claim 1, having a toluene conversion of at least 2%.

4. The method of claim 1, having a selectivity to styrene of at least 15%.

5. The method of claim 1, having a selectivity to ethylbenzene of at least 15%.