Abstract: An integrated process for producing ethanol, comprising the step of reacting carbon monoxide with at least one reactant in a reactor containing a reaction medium to produce a liquid reaction product comprising acetic acid. The reaction medium comprises water, acetic acid, methyl acetate, a halogen promoter, and a first catalyst. The process further comprises the steps of directly feeding the liquid reaction product from the reactor to a distillation column and withdrawing from it an overhead stream comprising methyl acetate, and/or halogen promoter, a bottoms stream comprising a solution of the first catalyst, and a liquid acetic acid sidestream; and hydrogenating acetic acid of the liquid acetic acid sidestream in the presence of a second catalyst and under conditions effective to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol and water. No flashing vessel is used to purify the liquid reaction product. Ethanol is recovered from the crude ethanol product.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing ethanol and recovering methyl iodide, the process comprising the steps of carbonylating methanol in a carbonylation system in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst under conditions effective to form acetic acid; hydrogenating the acetic acid in a hydrogenation system in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol and water; and separating the crude ethanol product to form an ethanol stream and a water stream.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for producing ethanol, comprising the step of providing from a distillation column in a carbonylation process a purified acetic acid stream comprising up to 25 wt. % water. The process further comprises the step of hydrogenating acetic acid of the purified acetic acid stream in the presence of a catalyst and under conditions effective to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol and water. Ethanol is recovered from the crude ethanol product.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for producing an acrylate product. The process comprises the step of producing a crude product stream by reacting reactants comprising an alkanoic acid, an alkylenating agent and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the oxygen concentration across the reactor is from 0.5 to 10 wt %. The oxygen may be fed to the reactor through a plurality of feeds. The invention is also directed to methods of monitoring the oxygen concentration for the reaction and adjusting the oxygen concentration and/or placement of oxygen feed(s). The process further comprises the step of separating at least a portion of the crude product stream to form an alkylenating agent stream and an intermediate product stream.

Abstract: A process for the reduction and/or removal of permanganate reducing compounds formed by the carbonylation of methanol in the presence of a Group VIII metal carbonylation catalyst to produce acetic acid is disclosed. More specifically, a process for reducing and/or removing permanganate reducing compounds or their precursors from intermediate streams during the formation of acetic acid by said carbonylation processes is disclosed. In particular, a process in which a low boiling overhead vapor stream from a light ends column is subjected to a single distillation to obtain an overhead that is subjected to an extraction to selectively remove and/or reduce PRC's from the process is disclosed.

Abstract: In a first embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for producing ethanol. The process comprises the step of contacting a carbon monoxide feed and an impure methanol feed in a reactor under conditions effective to produce a crude acetic acid product. The impure methanol feed comprises more than 0.15 wt. % of impurities. The process further comprises the step of separating the crude acetic acid product to form an intermediate acetic acid product and at least one derivative stream. The intermediate acetic acid product may comprise acetic acid and at least one of the impurities from the impure methanol feed. The process further comprises the step of hydrogenating at least a portion of the intermediate acetic acid product to produce a crude ethanol product. The hydrogenation is preferably conducted over a catalyst.

Abstract: A method of making acetic anhydride or a mixture of acetic anhydride and acetic acid comprising: (a) catalytically reacting a feedstock containing methyl acetate and/or dimethyl ether with carbon monoxide in the presence of a homogeneous rhodium catalyst and methyl iodide in a reactor vessel which contains a substantially anhydrous liquid reaction mixture including acetic acid, acetic anhydride, methyl acetate and/or dimethyl ether, methyl iodide and the homogeneous catalyst, the reactor vessel being operated at a reactor pressure; (b) withdrawing reaction mixture from the reaction vessel and feeding the withdrawn reaction mixture along with additional carbon monoxide to a pre-flasher/post reactor vessel operated at a reduced pressure below the reactor vessel pressure; (c) venting light ends in the pre-flasher vessel and concurrently consuming methyl acetate and/or dimethyl ether in the pre-flasher/post reactor vessel to produce a pre-flash mixture which is enriched in acetic anhydride and diminished in methy

Abstract: Ethanol is produced from methyl acetate by a hydrogenolysis reaction. The methyl acetate is produced as a byproduct during the conversion of a vinyl acetate polymer or copolymer to a polymer or copolymer of vinyl alcohol. The hydrogenolysis reaction also produces methanol. At least a portion of this methanol is converted to acetic acid by reaction with carbon monoxide in a carbonylation reaction. At least a portion of this acetic acid is converted to ethanol by a hydrogenation reaction with hydrogen. By integrating the processes as described herein, a valuable product, i.e. ethanol, is produced from a methyl acetate byproduct.

Abstract: Ethanol is produced from acetic acid or acetic anhydride or a mixture of acetic acid and acetic anhydride by a hydrogenation reaction. The acetic acid or acetic anhydride or a mixture of acetic acid and acetic anhydride is produced from methyl acetate by a carbonylation reaction. The methyl acetate is produced as a byproduct during the conversion of a vinyl acetate polymer or copolymer to a polymer or copolymer of vinyl alcohol. By integrating processes as described herein, a valuable product, i.e. ethanol, is produced from a methyl acetate byproduct.

Abstract: Ethanol is produced from methyl acetate by a hydrogenolysis reaction. The methyl acetate is produced as a byproduct during the conversion of a vinyl acetate polymer or copolymer to a polymer or copolymer of vinyl alcohol. By integrating the two processes, a valuable product, i.e. ethanol, is produced from a methyl acetate byproduct.

Abstract: Acetic acid is converted to vinyl acetate monomer by a reaction with oxygen and ethylene. The vinyl acetate is polymerized to form a vinyl acetate polymer or copolymer, which is then reacted in a methanolysis reaction with methanol and base to form a polymer or copolymer of vinyl alcohol and a methyl acetate byproduct. Ethanol is produced from methyl acetate by a hydrogenolysis reaction. The hydrogenolysis reaction also produces methanol. At least a portion of this ethanol is converted to ethylene by a dehydration reaction. At least a portion of the ethylene produced in this dehydration reaction is recycled to react with acetic acid and oxygen to form vinyl acetate. By converting a byproduct and by recycle of compositions, a polymer or copolymer of vinyl alcohol is efficiently produced with minimal waste.

Abstract: Ethanol is produced from methyl acetate by a hydrogenolysis reaction. The methyl acetate is produced as a byproduct during the conversion of a vinyl acetate polymer or copolymer to a polymer or copolymer of vinyl alcohol. The hydrogenolysis reaction also produces methanol. At least a portion of this methanol is converted to acetic acid by reaction with carbon monoxide in a carbonylation reaction. At least a portion of this acetic acid is converted to vinyl acetate monomer by a reaction with oxygen and ethylene. The vinyl acetate is polymerized to form the vinyl acetate polymer or copolymer. By integrating the two processes, a valuable product, i.e. ethanol, is produced from a methyl acetate byproduct.

Abstract: Described is an integrated process for producing ethanol from acetic acid in which the water from ethanol production is used to control water balance in the acetic acid production. In one embodiment, the invention comprises carbonylating methanol in a carbonylation system in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst under conditions effective to form acetic acid, hydrogenating the acetic acid in a hydrogenation system in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol and water, separating the ethanol from the water to form an ethanol stream and a water stream, and directing at least a portion of the water stream to the carbonylation system, e.g., for use in the carbonylation reaction medium.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for producing ethanol, comprising the step of reacting carbon monoxide with at least one reactant in a reactor containing a reaction medium to produce a liquid reaction product comprising acetic acid. The process further comprises the step of separating the reaction product in a flasher into a liquid recycle stream and a vapor stream. The vapor stream is then distilled in a rectification tower and an overhead stream and an acetic acid stream are withdrawn therefrom, wherein the acetic acid is substantially free of halogen promoters. The process further comprises the step of hydrogenating acetic acid of the acetic acid stream in the presence of a second catalyst and under conditions effective to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol and water. Ethanol is recovered from the crude ethanol product.

Abstract: This invention relates to processes for producing ethanol from at least two different streams obtained by carbonylating methanol. The process comprises the steps of reacting carbon monoxide with at least one reactant in a first reactor containing a reaction medium to produce a reaction solution comprising acetic acid, wherein the at least one reactant is selected from the group consisting of methanol, methyl acetate, methyl formate, dimethyl ether and mixtures thereof and wherein the reaction medium comprises water, acetic acid, methyl iodide, and a first catalyst, purifying the reaction solution to yield an acetic acid product stream and at least one derivative stream, introducing the acetic acid product stream and the at least one derivative stream into a second reactor in the presence of a second catalyst to form a crude ethanol product, and recovering ethanol from the crude ethanol product.

Abstract: An integrated process for producing ethanol, comprising the step of reacting carbon monoxide with at least one reactant in a reactor containing a reaction medium to produce a liquid reaction product comprising acetic acid. The reaction medium comprises water, acetic acid, methyl acetate, a halogen promoter, and a first catalyst. The process further comprises the steps of directly feeding the liquid reaction product from the reactor to a distillation column and withdrawing from it an overhead stream comprising methyl acetate, and/or halogen promoter, a bottoms stream comprising a solution of the first catalyst, and a liquid acetic acid sidestream; and hydrogenating acetic acid of the liquid acetic acid sidestream in the presence of a second catalyst and under conditions effective to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol and water. No flashing vessel is used to purify the liquid reaction product. Ethanol is recovered from the crude ethanol product.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for producing ethanol, the process comprising the steps of carbonylating methanol in a carbonylation system in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst under conditions effective to form acetic acid; hydrogenating the acetic acid in a hydrogenation system in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol and water; separating the ethanol from the water to form an ethanol stream and a water stream; and directing at least a portion of the water stream to the carbonylation system, e.g., for use as an extractant in a permanganate reducing compound removal system.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to a catalyst composition comprising vanadium and titanium. The catalyst composition has a surface area of at least 22.6 m2/g and a plurality of pores, and the plurality of pores have a pore diameter of less than 11.9 nm.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to a catalyst composition comprising titanium, phosphorus, and less than 1 wt. % vanadium. The catalyst composition has a molar ratio of phosphorus to titanium of at least 1.0:1.0.

Abstract: Processes and systems for forming ethanol from methanol. The process involves carbonylating the methanol to form acetic acid and hydrogenating the acetic acid to form ethanol. In a first aspect, at least some hydrogen for the hydrogenating step is derived from a tail gas stream formed in the carbonylation step. In a second aspect, at least some carbon monoxide for the carbonylation step is derived from a vapor stream in the hydrogenation system. In a third aspect, a syngas stream is separated to form a hydrogen stream and a carbon monoxide stream, and the hydrogen stream is methanated to remove residual carbon monoxide prior to being introduced into the hydrogenation system.