Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol from ethylene, which comprises contacting the carbon dioxide stream resulting from hydrolysing ethylene carbonate, or the condensate stream resulting from condensing said carbon dioxide stream, or the waste water stream resulting from removing water from the ethylene glycol stream, such stream comprising water, 2-chloroethanol and ethylene glycol and additionally comprising 2-iodoethanol or 2-bromoethanol, with an alkali metal containing basic compound to form a mixture comprising water, 2-chloroethanol and ethylene glycol and additionally comprising alkali metal iodide or alkali metal bromide which mixture is dehydrated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol, comprising: a) converting a stream comprising ethylene oxide in the presence of a catalyst and carbon dioxide in two or more reactors to a stream comprising ethylene carbonate; and b) converting ethylene carbonate from the stream comprising ethylene carbonate obtained in step a) in the presence of a catalyst in one or more reactors to a stream comprising ethylene glycol and a stream comprising carbon dioxide, wherein the inlet stream or inlet streams to the last reactor of the two or more reactors used in step a) is or are not heated; and wherein an outlet stream comprising ethylene carbonate from the last reactor of the two or more reactors used in step a) is sent, without recycling a portion thereof to the last reactor used in step a), to the first reactor of the one or more reactors wherein step b) is carried out.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol from ethylene, which comprises contacting the carbon dioxide stream resulting from hydrolysing ethylene carbonate, or the condensate stream resulting from condensing said carbon dioxide stream, or the waste water stream resulting from removing water from the ethylene glycol stream, such stream comprising water, 2-chloroethanol and ethylene glycol and additionally comprising 2-iodoethanol or 2-bromoethanol, with an alkali metal containing basic compound to form a mixture comprising water, 2-chloroethanol and ethylene glycol and additionally comprising alkali metal iodide or alkali metal bromide which mixture is dehydrated.

Abstract: The invention provides a reaction system for the production of an alkylene carbonate and/or an alkylene glycol comprising: an epoxidation zone containing an epoxidation catalyst located within an epoxidation reactor; a carboxylation zone containing an iodide-containing carboxylation catalyst located within an alkylene oxide absorber; and one or more purification zones containing a purification absorbent capable of reducing the quantity of iodide-containing impurities in a feed comprising a recycle gas, which purification zones are located upstream from the epoxidation zone; and a process for the production of an alkylene carbonate and/or an alkylene glycol.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of an alkylene glycol from an alkene. A gas composition from an alkylene oxide reactor is supplied to an alkylene oxide absorber comprising a column of vertically stacked trays or comprising a packed column. Lean absorbent comprising at least 20 wt % water is supplied to the alkylene oxide absorber and is contacted with the gas composition in the presence of one or more catalysts that promote carboxylation and hydrolysis. At least 50% of the alkylene oxide entering the alkylene oxide absorber is converted in the alkylene oxide absorber. Fat absorbent is withdrawn from the absorber, is optionally supplied to finishing reactors and/or a flash vessel or light ends stripper, and is subsequently subjected to dehydration and purification to provide a purified alkylene glycol product stream.

Abstract: The invention provides a reaction system for the production of an alkylene carbonate comprising: an epoxidation zone containing an epoxidation catalyst located within an epoxidation reactor; a carboxylation zone containing an bromide-containing carboxylation catalyst located within an alkylene oxide absorber; and one or more purification zones containing a purification absorbent capable of reducing the quantity of bromide-containing impurities in a feed comprising a recycle gas, which purification zones are located upstream from the epoxidation zone; and a process for the production of an alkylene carbonate and an alkylene glycol.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of an alkylene glycol from an alkene. A gas composition from an alkylene oxide reactor is supplied to an alkylene oxide absorber comprising a column of vertically stacked trays or comprising a packed column. Lean absorbent comprising at least 20 wt % water is supplied to the alkylene oxide absorber and is contacted with the gas composition in the presence of one or more catalysts that promote carboxylation and hydrolysis. At least 50% of the alkylene oxide entering the alkylene oxide absorber is converted in the alkylene oxide absorber. Fat absorbent is withdrawn from the absorber, is optionally supplied to finishing reactors and/or a flash vessel or light ends stripper, and is subsequently subjected to dehydration and purification to provide a purified alkylene glycol product stream.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of an alkylene glycol from an alkene. A gas composition from an alkylene oxide reactor is supplied to an alkylene oxide absorber comprising a column of vertically stacked trays or comprising a packed column. Lean absorbent comprising at least 20 wt % water is supplied to the alkylene oxide absorber and is contacted with the gas composition in the presence of one or more catalysts that promote carboxylation and hydrolysis. At least 50% of the alkylene oxide entering the alkylene oxide absorber is converted in the alkylene oxide absorber. Fat absorbent is withdrawn from the absorber, is optionally supplied to finishing reactors and/or a flash vessel or light ends stripper, and is subsequently subjected to dehydration and purification to provide a purified alkylene glycol product stream.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an alkylene glycol, said process comprising contacting an alkylene oxide with carbon dioxide and water in the presence of a catalytic composition comprising an active anion, selected from the group consisting of metalates, carbonate, bicarbonate and hydroxide, immobilized on a first solid support having one or more electropositive sites and a halide immobilized on the first or a second solid support having one or more electropositive sites.

Abstract: The invention provides a reaction system for the production of an alkylene carbonate comprising: an epoxidation zone containing an epoxidation catalyst located within an epoxidation reactor; a carboxylation zone containing an bromide-containing carboxylation catalyst located within an alkylene oxide absorber; and one or more purification zones containing a purification absorbent capable of reducing the quantity of bromide-containing impurities in a feed comprising a recycle gas, which purification zones are located upstream from the epoxidation zone; and a process for the production of an alkylene carbonate and an alkylene glycol.

Abstract: The invention provides a reaction system for the production of an alkylene carbonate comprising: an epoxidation zone containing an epoxidation catalyst located within an epoxidation reactor; a carboxylation zone containing an bromide-containing carboxylation catalyst located within an alkylene oxide absorber; and one or more purification zones containing a purification absorbent capable of reducing the quantity of bromide-containing impurities in a feed comprising a recycle gas, which purification zones are located upstream from the epoxidation zone; and a process for the production of an alkylene carbonate and an alkylene glycol.

Abstract: The invention provides a reaction system for the production of an alkylene carbonate and/or an alkylene glycol comprising: an epoxidation zone containing an epoxidation catalyst located within an epoxidation reactor; a carboxylation zone containing an iodide-containing carboxylation catalyst located within an alkylene oxide absorber; and one or more purification zones containing a purification absorbent capable of reducing the quantity of iodide-containing impurities in a feed comprising a recycle gas, which purification zones are located upstream from the epoxidation zone; and a process for the production of an alkylene carbonate and/or an alkylene glycol.

Abstract: The invention provides a reaction system for the production of an alkylene carbonate and/or an alkylene glycol comprising: an epoxidation zone containing an epoxidation catalyst located within an epoxidation reactor; a carboxylation zone containing an iodide-containing carboxylation catalyst located within an alkylene oxide absorber; and one or more purification zones containing a purification absorbent capable of reducing the quantity of iodide-containing impurities in a feed comprising a recycle gas, which purification zones are located upstream from the epoxidation zone; and a process for the production of an alkylene carbonate and/or an alkylene glycol.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of an alkylene glycol from an alkylene oxide. Alkylene oxide reacts with carbon dioxide in the presence of a carboxylation catalyst to provide alkylene carbonate; alkylene carbonate reacts with water in the presence of a hydrolysis catalyst to provide alkylene glycol. An initial charge of the carboxylation catalyst and an initial charge of the hydrolysis catalyst are added, the degradation and activity of the hydrolysis catalyst are monitored, and when the activity of the hydrolysis catalyst has fallen below a minimum level, an additional charge of the hydrolysis catalyst is added.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of an alkylene glycol from an alkene. The gas composition from an alkylene oxide reactor is contacted with lean absorbent in an alkylene oxide absorber in the presence of one or more catalysts that promote carboxylation. The lean absorbent comprises at least 50 wt % alkylene carbonate and less than 10 wt % water and is supplied to the alkylene oxide absorber at a temperature greater than 60° C. Alkylene oxide reacts with carbon dioxide in the absorber, forming alkylene carbonate, and fat absorbent comprising alkylene carbonate is withdrawn from the absorber. A portion of the fat absorbent is supplied to one or more hydrolysis reactors, wherein alkylene carbonate reacts with water in the presence of one or more hydrolysis catalysts. The product stream from the hydrolysis reactor is dehydrated and purified.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of alkylene glycol by the hydration of alkylene oxide using a soluble catalyst that permits the separation of the reaction product into an alkylene glycol product stream and a recycle stream without the significant precipitation of the soluble catalyst from the recycle stream.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an alkylene carbonate, said process comprising contacting the corresponding alkylene oxide with carbon dioxide in the presence of water and in the presence of a catalytic composition comprising an organic base neutralized with a hydrogen halide, wherein the organic base comprises a carbon-based compound comprising one or more nitrogen atoms with at least one free electron pair and/or one or more phosphorous atoms with at least one free electron pair and wherein the organic base has a pKa greater than 8.

Abstract: The invention provides a reaction system for the production of an alkylene carbonate comprising: an epoxidation zone containing an epoxidation catalyst located within an epoxidation reactor; a carboxylation zone containing an bromide-containing carboxylation catalyst located within an alkylene oxide absorber; and one or more purification zones containing a purification absorbent capable of reducing the quantity of bromide-containing impurities in a feed comprising a recycle gas, which purification zones are located upstream from the epoxidation zone; and a process for the production of an alkylene carbonate and an alkylene glycol.

Abstract: The invention provides a reaction system for the production of an alkylene carbonate and/or an alkylene glycol comprising: an epoxidation zone containing an epoxidation catalyst located within an epoxidation reactor; a carboxylation zone containing an iodide-containing carboxylation catalyst located within an alkylene oxide absorber; and one or more purification zones containing a purification absorbent capable of reducing the quantity of iodide-containing impurities in a feed comprising a recycle gas, which purification zones are located upstream from the epoxidation zone; and a process for the production of an alkylene carbonate and/or an alkylene glycol.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of an alkylene glycol from an alkylene oxide. Alkylene oxide reacts with carbon dioxide in the presence of a carboxylation catalyst to provide alkylene carbonate; alkylene carbonate reacts with water in the presence of a hydrolysis catalyst to provide alkylene glycol. An initial charge of the carboxylation catalyst and an initial charge of the hydrolysis catalyst are added, the degradation and activity of the hydrolysis catalyst are monitored, and when the activity of the hydrolysis catalyst has fallen below a minimum level, an additional charge of the hydrolysis catalyst is added.