Patents by Inventor Lawrence J. Karas

Lawrence J. Karas has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20040178122
    Abstract: This invention is a method of purifying fuel streams containing organonitrogen and organosulfur impurities. The fuel stream is first treated to extract organonitrogen impurities so that the nitrogen content of the fuel stream is reduced by at least 50 percent. After separation and recovery of the nitrogen-depleted fuel stream, the organosulfur impurities in the fuel stream are then oxidized with an organic hydroperoxide in the presence of a titanium-containing silicon oxide catalyst. The resulting sulfones may be more readily removed from the fuel stream than the non-oxidized organosulfur impurities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Lawrence J. Karas, Yuan-Zhang Han, David W. Leyshon
  • Publication number: 20040102656
    Abstract: The present invention relates to purification of an MTBE process stream by contact in the liquid phase with a large pore zeolite such as 13X or Zeolite Y.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventors: Lawrence J. Karas, Lawrence M. Candela, Andrew P. Kahn
  • Patent number: 6555623
    Abstract: A process for making unsaturated polyesters from 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol (MPD) is disclosed. The process comprises reacting one equivalent of an aromatic diacid with about two equivalents of MPD to produce an ester diol and then reacting one equivalent of the ester diol with from about 1.1 to about 1.9 equivalents of maleic anhydride to produce the polyester. The polyester has a fumarate/maleate ratio of 90/10 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Arco Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Lau S. Yang, Paul Malcolm Puckett, Lawrence J. Karas, Diandre Armstead, Paul A. Albano
  • Patent number: 6417412
    Abstract: The present invention relates to purification of a tertiary butyl alcohol process stream by contact in the liquid phase with a large pore zeolite such as 13X in the sodium form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Arco Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew P. Kahn, Lawrence J. Karas
  • Patent number: 6414085
    Abstract: Unsaturated terephthalate-based polyester resins (UPR) based on 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, a saturated dicarboxylic acid or derivative thereof, and an unsaturated dicarboxylic acid or derivative thereof be prepared without use of a catalyst in reasonable cycle times. UPR based on these monomers exhibit exceptional solubility in styrene, and are thus useful in polyester molding resins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Arco Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Lawrence J. Karas, Paul M. Puckett
  • Patent number: 6376731
    Abstract: A process is provided for the production of a gasoline blending fraction rich in isooctane by the dimerization of isobutylene using tertiary butyl alcohol modifier and lower alkane diluent; advantageously the isobutylene is derived from the dehydration of tertiary butyl alcohol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Arco Chemical Technology, l.p.
    Inventors: Thomas I. Evans, Lawrence J. Karas, Ramesh Rameswaran
  • Patent number: 6242640
    Abstract: A tertiary olefin such as isobutylene is reacted with a lower unsaturated carboxylic acid to produce the ester in the presence of a large pore zeolite catalyst such as Zeolite Y, Zeolite beta or Zeolite X, the reaction can be illustrated by the equation
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: ARCO Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Karas
  • Patent number: 6194602
    Abstract: A tertiary olefin such as isobutylene is reacted with a lower carboxylic acid to produce the ester in the presence of a large pore zeolite catalyst such as Zeolite Y, Zeolite beta or Zeolite X.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: ARCO Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Karas
  • Patent number: 5994578
    Abstract: An olefin such as isobutylene is reacted with a carboxylic acid to produce the ester in the presence of a modifying agent effective to suppress olefin polymerization, the feed to the reaction containing not more than 0.7 mols water per mol of olefin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Arco Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Karas
  • Patent number: 5877372
    Abstract: A process is provided for the production of a gasoline blending fraction rich in isooctane by the dimerization of isobutylene using tertiary butyl alcohol modifier and isoalkane diluent; advantageously the isobutylene is derived from the dehydration of tertiary butyl alcohol and the isoalkane used as diluent in the dimerization is the product formed by hydrogenation of the oligomerization product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Arco Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas I. Evans, Lawrence J. Karas, Ramesh Rameswaran
  • Patent number: 5308365
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a low sulfur diesel fuel which contains a dialkyl and a trialkyl derivative of glycerol in amount sufficient to reduce particulate matter emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: ARCO Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Haven S. Kesling, Jr., Lawrence J. Karas, Frank J. Liotta, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5258049
    Abstract: The invention relates to diesel fuel containing the nitric acid ester of 1-phenyl ethanol as cetane improver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Assignee: ARCO Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Frank J. Liotta, Jr., John A. Sofranko, Lawrence J. Karas
  • Patent number: 5081268
    Abstract: A practical, selective process for preparing oxetanes is disclosed. A 1,3-glycol monosulfate salt is prepared by sulfation and neutralization of the corresponding 1,3-glycol. The neutral monosulfate salt is then reacted with a strong base, resulting in efficient ring closure to the oxetane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Arco Chemical Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger A. Grey, Lawrence J. Karas, H. Dean Moore, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4944346
    Abstract: A process for recovering crude oil from a subterranean formation comprising injecting into the formation a liquid composition consisting essentially of a specific surfactant in an aqueous medium, driving the liquid composition through said formation to displace oil from said formation and recovering said oil in a production well. The surfactant has the general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 =C.sub.1 -C.sub.30 alkyl or alkylaryl, R.sup.2 =C.sub.2 H.sub.4 or C.sub.3 H.sub.6, R.sup.3 =C.sub.2 H.sub.4 or C.sub.3 H.sub.6, R.sup.4 =C.sub.1 to C.sub.12 alkyl or alkylaryl, R.sup.5 =H or C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl or alkylaryl, x and y are integers from 0 to 100, and z is an integer from 1 to 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Company
    Inventors: Roger A. Grey, Lawrence J. Karas, Linda A. Verkruyse
  • Patent number: 4736795
    Abstract: A process for recovering crude oil from a subterranean formation comprising injecting into the formation a liquid composition consisting essentially of a specific surfactant in an aqueous medium and injecting a gas to urge the composition toward a production well. The surfactant has the general formula RCH.sub.2 CH.dbd.C(R)CH.sub.2 O(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.m X, wherein R is C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 alkyl, m is an integer from 1 to 10, and X is a sulfonate, sulfate, glyceryl sulfonate, or carboxylate anion neutralized by a sodium, potassium, or ammonium cation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1988
    Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Company
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Karas