Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of alkylene glycols from the corresponding alkylene oxide, such as ethylene glycol from ethylene oxide, in the presence of water, a catalyst and, optionally, carbon dioxide. The catalyst is a SALEN-type compound which contains an amino group and an oxy or hydroxy group connected by a hydrocarbon, such as an alkyl or an alkylaryl. The SALEN-type compounds may be Schiff bases, i.e., a condensate product of a primary amine with an aldehyde, ketone or an alcohol. The SALEN-type compound may be a mono or bis compound and may be complexed with a Group 4-14 metal, such as aluminum, tin, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt or platinum.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of alkylene glycols from the corresponding alkylene oxide, such as ethylene glycol from ethylene oxide, in the presence of water, a catalyst and, optionally, carbon dioxide. The catalyst contains an amphoteric compound, such as such as (ethylenedinitrilo) tetraacetic acid (EDTA). These befunctional compounds have both acid and base moieties. Preferably, a compound useful in the present invention forms a buffered solution in water, i.e., the acid and base moieties do not completely disassociate. The pH of the buffered solution should be 2-10, preferably 5-10, more preferably 4-9. A compound useful in the present invention is preferably organic with the base moiety and the acid moiety being separated by one to four carbon atoms.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of alkylene glycols from the corresponding alkylene oxide, such as ethylene glycol from ethylene oxide, in the presence of water, a catalyst and, optionally, carbon dioxide. The catalyst is a SALEN-type compound which contains an amino group and an oxy or hydroxy group connected by a hydrocarbon, such as an alkyl or an alkylaryl. The SALEN-type compounds may be Schiff bases, i.e., a condensate product of a primary amine with an aldehyde, ketone or an alcohol. The SALEN-type compound may be a mono or bis compound and may be complexed with a Group 4-14 metal, such as aluminum, tin, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt or platinum.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of alkylene glycols from the corresponding alkylene oxide, such as ethylene glycol from ethylene oxide, in the presence of water, a catalyst and, optionally, carbon dioxide. The catalyst contains amines which are weak bases, specifically having pKa of at least 5.5, preferably 8 to 11. The amines may be primary, secondary, tertiary or a blend thereof or may be a compound having a structural combination of primary, secondary and/or tertiary amines.

Abstract: This invention is for a support for a silver-containing catalyst which can be used in a method of making an alkene oxide from an alkene and an oxygen-containing gas by oxidation of the alkene to the corresponding epoxide, such as propylene to propylene oxide. The support is an alkaline earth metal carbonate, such as calcium carbonate, and the shape of the support is not regular rhombohedral, cubic nor a blend of regular rhombohedral and cubic. Preferably, the shape of the support is scalenohedral, irregular rhombohedral, acicular or prismatic. The catalyst may contain optional promoters, such as potassium, chlorine, molybdenum, rhenium, tungsten, gold, thallium, yttrium, niobium, indium, barium, cobalt or cerium, and the support may contain an additional support material, such as an alkaline earth oxide.

Abstract: This invention is for a method of preparing a supported silver-containing catalyst for use in a process of making an alkene oxide from an alkene and an oxygen-containing gas by oxidation of the alkene to the corresponding epoxide. The catalyst contains metallic silver on a support. The catalyst may also contain small amount of compounds of metals or halides as promoters to improve selectivity, activity, conversion, stability or yield. The catalyst is prepared by forming a slurry of a silver compound, water and one or more organic compounds having at least one functional group of the formula —NX2, —OX or [(?O) (—OX)] wherein X is hydrogen or an alkyl of one to three carbon atoms, X being the same or different, and wherein at least one functional group is bound to a terminal carbon. This slurry is formed before contact with the support material to deposit silver on the support.

Abstract: Water tolerant Lewis acids are used in a process for the preparation of alkylene glycols by catalytic hydration of the corresponding alkylene oxide. The water tolerant Lewis acids can be a metal salt of a non-coordinating or weakly coordinating anion and a Group IIIB, rare earth or lanthanide, actinide or Group IVB cation. Optionally, carbon oxide may also be present. Examples of such water tolerant Lewis acids are scandium triflate, europium triflate, hafnium triflate, yttrium triflate, lanthanum triflate and ytterbium triflate. The catalyst may contain a coordinating anion instead, examples of which are scandium sulfate [Sc2(SO4)3], scandium chloride [ScCl3], scandium acetate [Sc(OAc)3] and scandium nitrate [Sc(NO3)3].