Abstract: Methanol carbonylation with improved aldehyde removal includes: (a) scrubbing light ends and aldehyde impurity from vent gas with an absorber solvent; (b) stripping absorbed light ends and aldehyde impurity from the absorber solvent to provide a vent-recovered light ends stream; (c) purifying the vent-recovered light ends stream to remove aldehyde impurity; and (d) recycling purified light ends from the vent-recovered light ends stream to the production system.

Abstract: A process for the selective production of vinyl ester by the reaction of a carboxylic acid with acetylene with a homogeneous catalyst is disclosed and claimed. In one aspect, esters of neoacids are provided.

Abstract: Described herein is a process in which acetic acid is produced by ethane oxidation. One byproduct of the ethane oxidation is water, which is commonly removed from the process in the same stream as the acetic acid process. As described herein, the ethane oxidation reactor effluent is processed in a predehydration tower so as to separately recover water, acetic acid, and a gas stream for recycle back to the ethane oxidation reactor.

Abstract: Described herein is a process in which acetic acid is produced by ethane oxidation. One byproduct of the ethane oxidation is ethylene. High ethylene content in the recycle gas stream will lead to poor efficiencies and higher losses to the COx byproduct in the acetic acid reactor. In fact, ethylene in the recycle feed competes with the ethane for the limited amount of oxygen feed, resulting in higher inefficiencies to carbon oxides than straight ethane oxidation. Ethylene is removed in this process by a further oxidation reaction at a temperature low enough such that ethane is not reactive, but the ethylene is converted to acetic acid. Either the ethane oxidation reactor effluent or a portion or all of the recycle stream to the ethane oxidation reactor, or any combination of the same, can be processed in this manner to reduce the ethylene content of those streams.

Abstract: A layered composition which can be used in various processes has been developed. The composition comprises an inner core such as a cordierite core and an outer layer comprising a refractory inorganic oxide, a fibrous component and an inorganic binder. The refractory inorganic oxide layer can be alumina, zirconia, titania, etc. while the fibrous component can be titania fibers, silica fibers, carbon fibers, etc. The inorganic oxide binder can be alumina, silica, zirconia, etc. The layer can also contain catalytic metals such as gold and platinum plus other modifiers. The layered composition is prepared by coating the inner core with a slurry comprising the refractory inorganic oxide, fibrous component, an inorganic binder precursor and an organic binding agent such as polyvinyl alcohol. The composition can be used in various hydrocarbon conversion processes including production of vinyl acetate.

Abstract: The present invention addresses at least four different aspects relating to catalyst structure, methods of making those catalysts and methods of using those catalysts for making alkenyl alkanoates. Separately or together in combination, the various aspects of the invention are directed at improving the production of alkenyl alkanoates and VA in particular, including reduction of by-products and improved production efficiency. A first aspect of the present invention pertains to a unique palladium/gold catalyst or pre-catalyst (optionally calcined) that includes rhodium or another metal. A second aspect pertains to a palladium/gold catalyst or pre-catalyst that is based on a layered support material where one layer of the support material is substantially free of catalytic components. A third aspect pertains to a palladium/gold catalyst or pre-catalyst on a zirconia containing support material.

Abstract: A layered composition which can be used in various processes has been developed. The composition comprises an inner core such as a cordierite core and an outer layer comprising a refractory inorganic oxide, a fibrous component and an inorganic binder. The refractory inorganic oxide layer can be alumina, zirconia, titania, etc. while the fibrous component can be titania fibers, silica fibers, carbon fibers, etc. The inorganic oxide binder can be alumina, silica, zirconia, etc. The layer can also contain catalytic metals such as gold and platinum plus other modifiers. The layered composition is prepared by coating the inner core with a slurry comprising the refractory inorganic oxide, fibrous component, an inorganic binder precursor and an organic binding agent such as polyvinyl alcohol. The composition can be used in various hydrocarbon conversion processes including production of vinyl acetate.

Abstract: An aqueous dispersion includes a self-crosslinking alkylolacrylamide containing interpolymer, the interpolymer being prepared in an emulsion polymerization medium by way of interpolymerizing in the medium: (a) acrylamide monomer; (b) N—C2 to C10 alkylolacrylamide monomer, wherein the molar ratio of acrylamide:N—C2 to C10 alkylolacrylamide interpolymerized is at least 0.5; and (c) at least one or more additional ethylenically unsaturated monomers added to the medium in an amount of from about 80 weight % to about 98 weight % based on the dry weight of monomer interpolymerized in the medium. The dispersions are particularly useful as binders for fibrous webs.

Abstract: Methanol carbonylation with improved aldehyde removal includes: (a) scrubbing light ends and aldehyde impurity from vent gas with an absorber solvent; (b) stripping absorbed light ends and aldehyde impurity from the absorber solvent to provide a vent-recovered light ends stream; (c) purifying the vent-recovered light ends stream to remove aldehyde impurity; and (d) recycling purified light ends from the vent-recovered light ends stream to the production system.

Abstract: A cigarette filter having a consolidated nonwoven fabric with an aqueous based polymer binder. The polymer binder comprises one or more polymer compositions and is stabilized by one or more high molecular weight protective colloids. While the binder may be utilized with unconsolidated nonwoven fabric webs made by a variety of methods, the binder is particularly useful for application to webs made via the latex bonded airlaid or multibonded airlaid methods.

Abstract: The present invention addresses at least four different aspects relating to catalyst structure, methods of making those catalysts and methods of using those catalysts for making alkenyl alkanoates. Separately or together in combination, the various aspects of the invention are directed at improving the production of alkenyl alkanoates and VA in particular, including reduction of by-products and improved production efficiency. A first aspect of the present invention pertains to a unique palladium/gold catalyst or pre-catalyst (optionally calcined) that includes rhodium or another metal. A second aspect pertains to a palladium/gold catalyst or pre-catalyst that is based on a layered support material where one layer of the support material is substantially free of catalytic components. A third aspect pertains to a palladium/gold catalyst or pre-catalyst on a zirconia containing support material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a catalyst or pre-catalyst suitable for assisting in the production of alkenyl alkanoates. The method includes contacting a modifier precursor to a support material to form a modified support material. One or more catalytic component precursors (palladium or gold) may be contacted to the modified support material. The atomic ratio of gold to palladium is preferably in the range of about 0.3 to about 0.90. The support materials with the catalytic component may then be reduced using a reducing environment. A composition for catalyzing the production of an alkenyl alkanoates including a modified support material with palladium and gold is also included within the invention. Catalysts of the present invention may be used to produce alkenyl alkanoates in general and vinyl acetate in particular and are useful to produce low EA/VA ratios while maintaining or improving CO2 selectivity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a catalyst or pre-catalyst suitable for assisting in the production of alkenyl alkanoates. The method includes contacting a modifier precursor to a support material to form a modified support material. One or more catalytic component precursors (palladium or gold) may be contacted to the modified support material. The atomic ratio of gold to palladium is preferably in the range of about 0.3 to about 0.90. The support materials with the catalytic component may then be reduced using a reducing environment. A composition for catalyzing the production of an alkenyl alkanoates including a modified support material with palladium and gold is also included within the invention. Catalysts of the present invention may be used to produce alkenyl alkanoates in general and vinyl acetate in particular and are useful to produce low EA/VA ratios while maintaining or improving CO2 selectivity.

Abstract: A process for the production of vinyl acetate comprising contacting in a first reaction zone a gaseous feedstock comprising essentially ethane with a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalyst to produce a first product stream comprising acetic acid; contacting in a second reaction zone a gaseous feedstock comprising essentially ethane with a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the product stream comprising ethylene; contacting in a third reaction one the first gaseous product stream and the second gaseous product stream with a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalyst to produce a fourth product stream comprising vinyl acetate; separating the product stream from step (3) and recovering vinyl acetate from said product stream from step (3).

Abstract: Disclosed is a method to manufacture high purity acetic acid. Although described in relation to that produced by a low water carbonylation process the present invention is applicable to other mechanisms for production of acetic acid which results in formation of permanganate reducing compounds such as acetaldehyde, propionic acid, and alkyl iodide impurities in intermediate process streams. It has been found that permanganate reducing compounds and alkyl iodides may be conveniently removed from a light phase of an intermediate stream in the reaction process by employing a multiple distillation process coupled with an optional extraction of acetaldehyde. The distillation process involves first distilling a light phase to concentrate the permanganate reducing compounds, and in particular the acetaldehyde, and then separating the permanganate reducing compounds and alkyl iodides in a second distillation tower.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel water-soluble diphosphines having the formula ##STR1## wherein X, Y, R.sub.1-18 and n are defined herein, and which can be complexed with a transition metal to form a novel catalyst useful in such applications as hydroformylation.