Patents Represented by Attorney Carl G. Ries
  • Patent number: 5243091
    Abstract: A method for the preparation of methyl tertiary butyl ether is provided wherein a mixture of methanol and substantially peroxides-free tertiary butyl alcohol are catalytically reacted to form a reaction product that is separated into a first lighter distillation fraction comprising isobutylene, methanol and methyl tertiary butyl ether and a second heavier distillation fraction comprising methanol, tertiary butyl alcohol and water, wherein the first distillation fraction and a first recycle isobutylene fraction are reacted to form an isobutylene conversion product that is charged, together with recycle isobutylene to a methanol extraction zone and countercurrently contacted with water to provide an overhead extract comprising aqueous isobutylene, and wherein the isobutylene is recovered and recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Charles J. Kruse, Rei-Yu J. Hwan, Kyle L. Preston, Feng-Ran Sheu
  • Patent number: 5239048
    Abstract: Block polyamido polyamine condensation products of an aromatic polycarboxylic acid component with a polyoxyalkylene polyamine component prepared by reacting the polycarboxylic acid component with an amount of the polyoxyalkylene polyamine component sufficient to react each carboxyl group with 1 mole of the polyoxyalkylene polyamine component.The polyoxyalkylene polyamine being selected from the group consisting of polyoxypropylene diamines, polyoxyethylene diamines, polyoxyethylene/oxypropylene diamines and polyoxypropylene triamines, and the aromatic polycarboxylic acid component being selected from the group consisting of C.sub.8 to C.sub.28 benzene dicarboxylic acids, benzene tricarboxylic acids, naphthalene carboxylates, hemimellitic acid, 1,1,3-trimethyl-3-phenylindan-4',5-dicarboxylic acid, trimellitic acid, and anhydrides and C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl esters thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: George P. Speranza, Jiang-Jen Lin
  • Patent number: 5236893
    Abstract: A method for preparing tertiary butyl alcohol wherein a solution of a tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in tertiary butyl alcohol is charged to a hydroperoxide decomposition reaction zone containing a catalytically effective amount of a hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst consisting essentially of a superconductor such as a superconductor consisting essentially of the oxides of strontium, calcium, copper and bismuth and is brought into contact with the superconductor type catalyst in liquid phase with agitation under hydroperoxide decomposition reaction conditions to convert the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to decomposition products, principally tertiary butyl alcohol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: John R. Sanderson, Melvin E. Stockton
  • Patent number: 5232559
    Abstract: An organic solution of a soluble molybdenum compound is ammonated with ammonia, ammonium hydroxide and/or an ammonium salt in order to significantly reduce the electrical resistance of the solution and a direct electric current is passed therethrough in order to collect a significant amount of the molybdenum in solid form at the negative electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: William A. Smith, David L. Miller, Robert A. Meyer
  • Patent number: 5216182
    Abstract: In the preparation of tertiary butyl alcohol and a linear C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 mono epoxide by the epoxidation reaction of a linear C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 alpha mono olefin with tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in solution in tertiary butyl alcohol in the presence of a catalytic amount of a soluble complex of molybdenum with ethylene glycol, a portion of the catalyst that is used is a recycle (final) ethylene glycol solution of a complex of ethylene glycol with ammonium-containing molybdenum compounds prepared from ethylene glycol and a precipitate of solid ammonium-containing molybdenum compounds formed by saturating a heavy distillation fraction with ammonia to thereby form a liquid amination product containing a precipitate of solid ammonium-containing molybdenum compounds; the heavy distillation fraction being obtained by distillation of the epoxidation reaction product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Edward T. Marquis, Robert A. Meyer
  • Patent number: 5216154
    Abstract: N-methylmorpholine oxide which is essentially free from nitrosamine contaminants is prepared by oxidizing a feedstock consisting essentially of N-methylmorpholine with an oxidant consisting essentially of aqueous hydrogen peroxide in an atmosphere consisting essentially of carbon dioxide to thereby form a nitrosamine-free reaction product from which N-methylmorpholine oxide essentially free from nitrosamine can be recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventor: Robert L. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 5206424
    Abstract: A method for preparing tertiary butyl alcohol wherein a solution of a tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in tertiary butyl alcohol is charged to a hydroperoxide decomposition reaction zone containing a catalytically effective amount of a soluble iron hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst consisting essentially of a soluble cycloalkenyl iron compound and is brought into contact with the soluble cycloalkenyl iron compound in liquid phase with agitation under hydroperoxide decomposition reaction conditions to convert the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to decomposition products, principally tertiary butyl alcohol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: John R. Sanderson, John F. Knifton
  • Patent number: 5191143
    Abstract: A method for the preparation of isobutylene substantially free from tertiary butyl formate and peroxides from a tertiary butyl alcohol feedstock contaminated with tertiary butyl formate and peroxides wherein the feedstock is continuously brought into contact with a bed of a catalyst consisting essentially of sulfuric acid impregnated alumina under reaction conditions including a temperature of about 150.degree. to about 400.degree. C. and a pressure of about 0 to about 3000 psig. at the rate of about 0.5 to about 10 g of feedstock per hour per cc of catalyst, to form a reaction product substantially completely free from tertiary butyl formate and peroxides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Wei-Yang Su, William A. Smith, Roya Tooloian
  • Patent number: 5189221
    Abstract: A mixture of C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 mono-, di- and trialkylamines is separated by adding at least about an equimolar amount, based on the amine mixture, of a formyldialkanolamine selected from the group consisting of formyldiethanolamine, formyl aminoethylethanolamine and formyl 2-(2-aminoethylamino)-ethanol to the alkyl amine mixture, at a temperature of about 120.degree. to about 160.degree. C. and a pressure of about 500 to about 3,000 psig to provide a reaction mixture comprising the trialkylamine, the formyl dialkylamine and the formyl monoalkylamine, together with unreacted formyldialkanolamine and the corresponding alkanolamine, by separately recovering the trialkyl amine, the formyl dialkylamine and the formyl monoalkylamine from the reaction mixture, by reacting the dialkyl amine with said alkanolamine at atmospheric pressure at temperature of about 120.degree. to about 140.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Roger G. Duranleau, Robert L. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 5185480
    Abstract: Methanol contaminated with residual amounts of peroxide contaminants such as tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, ditertiary butyl peroxide, allyl tertiary butyl peroxide, etc., can be effectively catalytically treated with a catalyst consisting essentially of titania-supported transition metals to substantially completely decompose the peroxide contaminants to thereby provide a treated methanol product substantially free from contaminating quantities of such peroxides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1993
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: John R. Sanderson, John F. Knifton
  • Patent number: 5160587
    Abstract: An extractive distillation agent consisting essentially of dipropylene glycol is fed to an extractive distillation column used for the distillation of propylene oxide contaminated with water, acetone and methanol to obtain an overhead distillate fraction consisting of essentially anhydrous propylene oxide contaminated with reduced quantities of acetone and methanol, and a heavier bottoms distillation fraction containing substantially all of the dipropylene glycol, water and acetone and some of the methanol introduced into the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1992
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Edward T. Marquis, George P. Speranza, Yu-Hwa E. Sheu, William K. Culbreth, III, David G. Pottratz
  • Patent number: 5159122
    Abstract: Peroxides such as di-tert-butyl peroxide, present in a methyl-tert-butyl ether recycle stream, may be removed by bringing the recycle stream into contact with an acid treated clay. The peroxides are decomposed to tert-butyl alcohol (main product) plus minor amounts of acetone and methanol. Since the recycle stream consists mainly of tert-butyl alcohol and methanol, methyl-tert-butyl ether is also formed in significant quantities. Isobutylene is also formed by dehydration of the tert-butyl alcohol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: John R. Sanderson, John F. Knifton, Neal J. Grice
  • Patent number: 5157163
    Abstract: A method for the separation of methanol from MTBE contained in a reaction mixture comprising water, methanol, TBA and MTBE which comprises distilling the reaction mixture in the presence of added water in order to provide a distillate fraction containing most of the MTBE and a heavier distillation fraction containing most of the tertiary-butanol, water and methanol charged to the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: William A. Smith, Roya Tooloian
  • Patent number: 5154804
    Abstract: An extractive distillation agent consisting essentially of a monohydroxy alkoxyalkanol containing 5 to 8 carbon atoms is fed to an extractive distillation column used for the distillation of propylene oxide contaminated with water to obtain an overhead distillate fraction consisting of essentially anhydrous propylene oxide, and a heavier bottoms distillation fraction containing substantially all of the monohydroxy alkoxyalkanol and water introduced into the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Edward T. Marquis, George P. Speranza, Yu-Hwa E. Sheu, William K. Culbreth, III, David G. Pottratz
  • Patent number: 5154803
    Abstract: An extractive distillation agent consisting essentially of 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol is fed to an extractive distillation column used for the distillation of propylene oxide contaminated with water, acetone and methanol to obtain an overhead distillate fraction consisting of essentially anhydrous propylene oxide contaminated with reduced quantities of acetone and methanol, and a heavier bottoms distillation fraction containing substantially all of the 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol, water and acetone and some of the methanol introduced into the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Edward T. Marquis, George P. Speranza, Yu-Hwa E. Sheu, William K. Culbreth, III, David G. Pottratz
  • Patent number: 5153287
    Abstract: Hydroxy-containing, propylene carbonate insoluble butadiene polymers having an average molecular weight of about 400 to about 25,000 and containing an average of about 2 hydroxyl groups per molecule are prepared by polymerizing butadiene in a homogeneous reaction medium consisting essentially of a propylene carbonate solution of an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide at a temperature within the range of about 100.degree. to about 200.degree. C. for a reaction time within the range of about 1 to about 2 hours to thereby form the butadiene polymer and by recovering the butadiene polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Ernest L. Yeakey, Wei-Yang Su
  • Patent number: 5151530
    Abstract: The distillation product fraction obtained from an isobutane oxidation reaction product after the removal of unreacted isobutane will contain tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, tertiary butyl alcohol and carboxylic acid contaminants such as formic acid, acetic acid and isobutyric acid. It has been discovered that when the distillation product fraction is treated with about 1/2 to 1 equivalents of calcium oxide and/or calcium hydroxide based on the carboxylic acid content of the distillate product fraction, a portion of the carboxylic acid contaminants will precipitate thus partially purifying the distillation product fraction so that, thereafter, molybdenum precipitation will be substantially inhibited when the thus-treated distillation product fraction is used as a feedstock for an epoxidation reaction wherein tertiary butyl hydroperoxide is reacted with an olefin in the presence of a soluble molybdenum catalyst to provide an olefin epoxide and additional tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1992
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Edward T. Marquis, John R. Sanderson, Robert A. Meyer
  • Patent number: 5145561
    Abstract: An extractive distillation agent consisting essentially of ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate or a mixture thereof is fed to an extractive distillation column used for the distillation of propylene oxide contaminated with water to obtain an overhead distillate fraction consisting of essentially anhydrous propylene oxide, and a heavier bottoms distillation fraction containing substantially all of the extraction distillation solvent and water introduced into the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Edward T. Marquis, George P. Speranza, Yu-Hwa E. Sheu, William K. Culbreth, III, David G. Pottratz
  • Patent number: 5145563
    Abstract: An extractive distillation agent consisting essentially of glycerol-1,3-di-t-butylether is fed to an extractive distillation column used for the distillation of propylene oxide contaminated with water to obtain an overhead distillate fraction consisting of essentially anhydrous propylene oxide, and a heavier bottoms distillation fraction containing substantially all of the glycerol-1,3-di-t-butylether and water introduced into the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: William K. Culbreth, III, David G. Pottratz, Wei-Yang Su, Yu-Hwa E. Sheu, Carter G. Naylor
  • Patent number: 5139622
    Abstract: An extractive distillation agent consisting essentially of triethylene glycol is fed to an extractive distillation column used for the distillation of propylene oxide contaminated with water, acetone and methanol to obtain an overhead distillate fraction consisting of essentially anhydrous propylene oxide contaminated with reduced quantities of acetone and methanol, and a heavier bottoms distillation fraction containing substantially all of the triethylene glycol, water and acetone and some of the methanol introduced into the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Edward T. Marquis, George P. Speranza, Yu-Hwa E. Sheu, William K. Culbreth, III, David G. Pottratz