Abstract: Processes for producing propylene glycol monoalkyl ether are described herein and include contacting propylene oxide and an alcohol in the presence of an alkali or alkaline earth metal alkoxide catalyst to produce an alkoxylation mixture including propylene glycol monoalkyl ether; distilling the alkoxylation mixture to produce a first overhead stream including propylene oxide and the alcohol and a first bottoms stream including propylene glycol monoalkyl ether; distilling the first bottoms stream to produce a second overhead stream including purified propylene glycol monoalkyl ether and a second bottoms stream including heavier byproducts; further distilling the second bottoms stream to form a resulting bottoms stream including caustic and heavier byproducts; introducing an alkali metal borohydride into at least a portion of the resulting bottoms stream to form an alkali metal borohydride containing stream; and introducing the alkali metal borohydride containing stream into one or more distillations upstream

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of preparing propylene oxide comprising the steps: (a) oxidizing alpha-methylbenzyl alcohol with air to form a first reaction mixture comprising hydrogen peroxide and acetophenone; (b) reacting propylene with the first reaction mixture in the presence of a catalyst to form a second reaction mixture comprising propylene oxide; (c) separating the propylene oxide from the second reaction mixture to form a third reaction mixture; (d) heating the third reaction mixture to decompose hydrogen peroxide, whereby a fourth reaction mixture is formed; (e) hydrogenating the acetophenone in the fourth reaction mixture with hydrogen to form a fifth reaction mixture comprising alpha-methylbenzyl alcohol; and (f) separating alpha-methylbenzyl alcohol from the fifth reaction mixture and returning the methyl benzyl alcohol to step (a).

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of epoxidizing an olefin to form an epoxide, the method comprising contacting an alkene(C?12) or aralkene(C?12) with a titanium silica catalyst, a peroxide, a buffer, and one or more organic solvents in a reaction mixture, wherein the one or more organic solvents comprise a first organic solvent selected from: R1—OH??(I), R2—CN??(II), R3—C(O)—R4??(III) or R5—O—R6??(IV) wherein: R1 is alkyl(C?12), aryl(C?12), aralkyl(C?12) or a substituted version of any of these groups; R2 is alkyl(C?12), aryl(C?12), aralkyl(C?12) or a substituted version of any of these groups; R3 is hydrogen, alkyl(C?6) or substituted alkyl(C?6); and R4, R5, and R6 are each independently selected from alkyl(C?12), aryl(C?12), aralkyl(C?12) or a substituted version of any of these groups, or are taken together are alkoxydiyl(C?12), alkanediyl(C?12), substituted alkoxydiyl(C?12) or substituted alkanediyl(C?12).

Abstract: Provided herein in is a method of removing phosphorus from a liquid hydrocarbon that includes the steps of (a) contacting the liquid hydrocarbon with an aqueous solution that comprises an oxidizing agent to form a reaction mixture that comprises an aqueous component and a hydrocarbon component, wherein the liquid hydrocarbon comprises at least an alkene(C4-30), and a phosphine(C?30); (b) reacting the oxidizing agent with the phosphine(C?30) to form the corresponding phosphine oxide(C?30); and (c) separating the aqueous component from the hydrocarbon component, thereby removing the phosphine oxide(C?30) from the liquid hydrocarbon.

Abstract: Processes for producing propylene glycol monoalkyl ether are described herein and include contacting propylene oxide and an alcohol in the presence of an alkali or alkaline earth metal alkoxide catalyst to produce an alkoxylation mixture including propylene glycol monoalkyl ether; distilling the alkoxylation mixture to produce a first overhead stream including propylene oxide and the alcohol and a first bottoms stream including propylene glycol monoalkyl ether; distilling the first bottoms stream to produce a second overhead stream including purified propylene glycol monoalkyl ether and a second bottoms stream including heavier byproducts; further distilling the second bottoms stream to form a resulting bottoms stream including caustic and heavier byproducts; introducing an alkali metal borohydride into at least a portion of the resulting bottoms stream to form an alkali metal borohydride containing stream; and introducing the alkali metal borohydride containing stream into one or more distillations upstream

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a process for separating propylene oxide for a crude propylene oxide stream, for example an intermediate stream from a PO/TBA process. The crude propylene oxide stream can be passed through an extractive distillation column. The distillation column is operated at a pressure in a range of greater than 25 up to 50 psig, and/or at a temperature in a range of from 70 to 150 degrees Celsius using C8-C20 paraffin as extractive solvent with an overhead distillate water wash drum. The crude propylene oxide stream include from 0.001 to 0.1 wt % methanol, based on the total composition of the crude propylene oxide stream. The systems, methods, and apparatuses can produce a propylene oxide stream having less formaldehyde and acetaldehyde than the prior art.

Abstract: A propylene oxide separation system that comprises a distillation column, a decanter, and water wash system. The distillation column is configured to receive a crude propylene oxide stream, discharge an impurity stream that comprises methanol and water, and discharge a bottoms stream that comprises a majority of the propylene oxide entering in the crude propylene oxide stream. The decanter is configured to receive at least a portion of the impurity stream and a hydrocarbon solvent to provide for formation in the decanter of an organic phase and an aqueous phase. The organic phase comprises propylene oxide and hydrocarbon solvent, and is sent to the distillation column. The aqueous phase comprises a majority weight percent of the methanol and the water entering in the impurity stream. The water wash system is configured to receive and purge the aqueous phase from the propylene oxide separation system.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a process for separating propylene oxide for a crude propylene oxide stream, for example an intermediate stream from a PO/TBA process. The crude propylene oxide stream can be passed through an extractive distillation column. The distillation column is operated at a pressure in a range of greater than 25 up to 50 psig, and/or at a temperature in a range of from 70 to 150 degrees Celsius using C8-C20 paraffin as extractive solvent with an overhead distillate water wash drum. The crude propylene oxide stream include from 0.001 to 0.1 wt % methanol, based on the total composition of the crude propylene oxide stream. The systems, methods, and apparatuses can produce a propylene oxide stream having less formaldehyde and acetaldehyde than the prior art.

Abstract: A process for producing propylene from ethylene and a feed stream comprising 1-butene, 2-butene, n-butane, and isobutane is disclosed. A butenes stream (1-butene and 2-butene) is produced from the feed stream by removing the paraffins. The butenes stream is reacted in the presence of an isomerization catalyst to produce an isomerized stream with increased concentration of 2-butene. The isomerized stream is reacted with ethylene in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to produce a reaction mixture comprising propylene; the propylene may be isolated from the reaction mixture by distillation. The removal of paraffins from the feed stream improves the catalyst productivity and the plant throughput.

Abstract: This invention is a process for producing diisobutylene from isobutylene. The process comprises first contacting a sulfonic acid resin with a reaction feed comprising isobutylene and tertiary butyl alcohol to produce a product stream comprising diisobutylene, isobutylene, tertiary butyl alcohol, and water. The product stream is distilled to produce a first overhead stream comprising water and isobutylene and a first bottoms stream comprising diisobutylene and tertiary butyl alcohol. Water is separated from the first overhead stream, and the resulting isobutylene-enriched stream is recycled back to the reaction step. The first bottoms stream is distilled to produce a second overhead stream comprising tertiary butyl alcohol and a bottoms product stream comprising diisobutylene.

Abstract: A process for producing propylene and isoprene from a feed stream comprising 1-butene and isobutene is disclosed. The feed stream is reacted in a catalytic distillation reactor containing an olefin isomerization catalyst to produce an overhead stream comprising 2-butene and isobutene and a bottoms stream comprising 2-butene. The overhead stream is reacted in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to produce propylene and isoamylenes. Isoprene is produced by dehydrogenation of isoamylenes.

Abstract: The invention is a method of purifying an ultralow sulfur diesel fuel which contains polycyclic aromatic color bodies. The method comprises contacting the ULSD fuel in the liquid phase with a coal-based activated carbon adsorbent having a surface area ranging from 800 to 1500 m2/g and containing pores having pore size greater than 20 ?, and recovering a purified diesel product having a decreased color bodies content.

Abstract: This invention is a process for producing diisobutylene from isobutylene. The process comprises first passing water through a downflow reactor containing a bed of sulfonic acid resin to produce an effluent stream having a pH of at least 5, then dimerizing isobutylene by contacting the sulfonic acid resin with a reaction feed comprising isobutylene and tertiary butyl alcohol. The downflow reactor comprises a bottom, an inlet located above the resin bed, an outlet located below the resin bed, and inert material in the space from the bottom of the reactor to at least above the outlet.

Abstract: This invention is a process for producing diisobutylene from isobutylene. The process comprises first contacting a sulfonic acid resin with a reaction feed comprising isobutylene and tertiary butyl alcohol to produce a product stream comprising diisobutylene, isobutylene, tertiary butyl alcohol, and water. The product stream is distilled to produce a first overhead stream comprising water and isobutylene and a first bottoms stream comprising diisobutylene and tertiary butyl alcohol. Water is separated from the first overhead stream, and the resulting isobutylene-enriched stream is recycled back to the reaction step. The first bottoms stream is distilled to produce a second overhead stream comprising tertiary butyl alcohol and a bottoms product stream comprising diisobutylene.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for upgrading drip oil comprising subjecting the drip oil to multiple distillation steps to form a stream rich in aromatics and a separate stream rich in dicyclopentadiene.

Abstract: A process for producing propylene and isoprene from a feed stream comprising 1-butene and isobutene is disclosed. The feed stream is reacted in a catalytic distillation reactor containing an olefin isomerization catalyst to produce an overhead stream comprising 2-butene and isobutene and a bottoms stream comprising 2-butene. The overhead stream is reacted in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to produce propylene and isoamylenes. Isoprene is produced by dehydrogenation of isoamylenes.

Abstract: A process for producing propylene from ethylene and a feed stream comprising 1-butene, 2-butene, n-butane, and isobutane is disclosed. A butenes stream (1-butene and 2-butene) is produced from the feed stream by removing the paraffins. The butenes stream is reacted in the presence of an isomerization catalyst to produce an isomerized stream with increased concentration of 2-butene. The isomerized stream is reacted with ethylene in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to produce a reaction mixture comprising propylene; the propylene may be isolated from the reaction mixture by distillation. The removal of paraffins from the feed stream improves the catalyst productivity and the plant throughput.

Abstract: A process for producing propylene from ethylene and a feed stream comprising 1-butene is disclosed. The feed stream is contacted with an isomerization catalyst to produce an isomerized stream. The isomerized stream is reacted with ethylene in a distillation column reactor containing a metathesis catalyst to generate a reaction mixture; and the reaction mixture is concurrently distilled to produce an overhead stream comprising ethylene and propylene, and a bottoms stream comprising 1-butene, 2-butene, and C5 and higher olefins. Propylene is separated from the overhead stream.

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.

Abstract: N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone (HEP) is purified by a distillation sequence in which the purified HEP is recovered as a side stream without being separated as an overhead at any point in the procedure.