Abstract: Reaction gases such as hydrogen, oxygen and propylene are reacted in a slurry of solid catalyst in solvent, the reaction being carried out in a series of separate zones with intermediate removal of the exothermic heat of reaction by indirect heat exchange.

Abstract: A process for absorbing propylene from a gaseous propylene oxide process purge stream wherein propane liquid is used to absorb the propylene.

Abstract: Propylene oxide is formed in a two step reaction wherein in a first step oxygen and hydrogen are reacted in the absence of propylene to form hydrogen peroxide and in a second step propylene is reacted with the formed hydrogen peroxide to form propylene oxide, the same solid noble metal on TS-1 catalyst being used to catalyze the reaction in each step.

Abstract: A process for the production of an oxirane compound by reaction of an olefin with a hydroperoxide reactant in the presence of a solid epoxidation catalyst, wherein the olefin and hydroperoxide reactants are first reacted in it least two fixed bed reactors packed with fresh catalyst, olefin being fed serially to said reactors and hydroperoxide reactant being fed in parallel to said reactors and thereafter the reactor effluent from the last of said reactors is passed to as least one further fixed bed reactor packed with epoxidation catalyst which has been at least partially deactivated.

Abstract: A reactor and process is for the production of oxirane compounds by reaction of an olefin such as propylene with an organic hydroperoxide using a solid contact catalyst, characterized by the following features:(1) the reactor is divided into a series of separate zones, each zone containing a bed of solid epoxidation catalyst;(2) conditions are maintained so as to provide the liquid phase without substantial vapor formation throughout the entire reactor;(3) cold reactor feed is provided which is preheated to reaction temperature by separate indirect heat exchange with reaction liquid from various of the separate reactor zones;(4) reaction liquid from the last of the series of reaction zones is reduced in pressure to form a gas-liquid mixture at a lower temperature, and this gas liquid mixture is heated by indirect heat exchange with the reaction liquid from at least one of the separate reactor zones.

Abstract: An integrated process is provided for the production of propylene oxide from propane wherein propane is dehydrogenated to propylene and hydrogen and the resulting propylene, propane, and hydrogen mixture together with added oxygen is reacted over a palladium on titanium silicilite catalyst to form propylene oxide, the molar ratio of oxygen to hydrogen in the reaction feed being at least about 2/1.

Abstract: Ethylbenzene hydroperoxide suitable for epoxidizing an olefin using a heterogeneous titanium catalyst is provided by the sequence of:a) flashing acids containing ethylbenzene peroxidase to reduce the temperature thereof to 170.degree. F. or lower,b) contacting the flash bottoms with aqueous base and separating a base contaminated deacidified hydroperoxide stream from an organics contaminated aqueous stream,c) removing organics from the organics contaminated aqueous stream by extraction with ethylbenzene,d) separating base from the base contaminated deacidified hydroperoxide stream by water extraction, ande) stripping water from deacidified water extracted hydroperoxide stream.

Abstract: Acetaldehyde may be effectively removed from a contaminated methanol stream using a distillation method wherein a solvent stream containing a relatively heavy polar compound such as water or propylene glycol is utilized as an extractive distillation solvent. Following the separation of the polar compound from the bottoms stream obtained by extractive distillation, the purified methanol may be recycled for use as a reaction solvent in an olefin epoxidation process.

Abstract: Propylene is separated from the methanol present as a solvent in a crude olefin epoxidation product by means of an extractive distillation wherein a relatively heavy polar solvent having hydroxy groups such as water or propylene glycol is used as the extractive solvent. The method is also useful for removing water and impurities such as acetaldehyde from the propylene oxide.

Abstract: An olefin epoxidation process is operated using a plurality of reactor vessels, each containing a fixed bed of a heterogeneous catalyst such as titania-on-silica. The reactor vessels are connected in series whereby a feedstream comprised of olefin and an active oxygen species is passed through said series of reactor vessels in contact with the heterogeneous catalyst to accomplish conversion of the olefin to the corresponding epoxide. As the activity of the catalyst in an individual reactor vessel falls to an undesirably low level, said reactor vessel is taken out of service and a replacement reactor vessel containing fresh or regenerated catalyst introduced. The replacement reactor vessel may, in alternative embodiments of the process, be the first or the last reactor vessel in said series. For example, the feedstream may first be contacted with either the most active or the least active charge of catalyst within the series of reactor vessels.

Abstract: An apparatus for the molecular oxygen oxidation of a secondary alcohol such as isopropanol to hydrogen peroxide is provided.

Abstract: A reactor and process is for the production of oxirane compounds by reaction of an olefin such as propylene with an organic hydroperoxide using a solid contact catalyst, characterized by the following features:(1) the reactor is divided into a series of separate zones, each zone containing a bed of solid epoxidation catalyst;(2) conditions are maintained so as to provide the liquid phase without substantial vapor formation throughout the entire reactor;(3) cold reactor feed is provided which is preheated to reaction temperature by separate indirect heat exchange with reaction liquid from various of the separate reactor zones;(4) reaction liquid from the last of the series of reaction zones is reduced in pressure to form a gas-liquid mixture at a lower temperature, and this gas liquid mixture is heated by indirect heat exchange with the reaction liquid from at least one of the separate reactor zones.

Abstract: A reactor and process is for the production of oxirane compounds by reaction of an olefin such as propylene with an organic hydroperoxide using a solid contact catalyst, characterized by the following features:(1) the reactor is divided into a series of separate zones, each zone containing a bed of solid epoxidation catalyst;(2) about 25-75% of the heat of reaction is removed by preheating cold reactor feed by direct contact with a heated recycle stream from the reactor; and(3) about 25-75% of the heat of reaction is accounted for by a reaction mixture temperature rise of 20.degree.-100.degree. F. and by vaporization of 15-40% of the net reactor product.

Abstract: Epoxides are produced by an integrated process involving molecular oxygen oxidation of a secondary alcohol, separation of the ketone co-product, and epoxidation of an olefin using the ketone-free oxidation product in the presence of a titanium silicalite catalyst and a methanol-containing diluent wherein methanol recovered from the epoxidation product mixture serves as a source of methanol in the epoxidation step.

Abstract: An integrated process for producing cyclohexanone oxime, a caprolactam precursor, is provided wherein isopropanol is utilized to generate the hydrogen peroxide oxidizing agent. The acetone produced as a co-product is recycled back to the secondary alcohol by hydrogenation. Ammoximation of cyclohexanone is performed in the presence of water and an alcohol other than isopropanol such as methanol or t-butyl alcohol.

Abstract: A reactor is provided for carrying out highly exothermic reaction between liquids such as hydrogen peroxide and propylene. The reactor is made up of a series of separate zones containing a packed bed of solid catalyst; liquid from each zone is cooled with the main portion recycled to the same zone and a minor portion passing to the next successive zone.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the molecular oxygen oxidation of a secondary alcohol such as isopropanol to hydrogen peroxide is provided.

Abstract: Epoxides are produced by an integrated process involving molecular oxygen oxidation of a secondary alcohol, separation of the ketone by-product, and epoxidation of an olefin in the presence of a titanium silicalite catalyst and a diluent, wherein a crude alcohol stream obtained by removing epoxide from the epoxidation product mixture serves as the diluent. Despite use of the crude alcohol stream, which typically comprises water, organic acids and glycols, high selectivities to epoxides such as propylene oxide are realized.

Abstract: An olefin/oxygen purge gas from the catalytic reaction of the olefin with hydrogen peroxide is contacted with an absorbent liquid such as isopropanol and water to absorb olefin while an inert gas such as methane is added to avoid formation of flammable oxygen-containing gas compositions.

Abstract: A reactor is provided for carrying out highly exothermic reaction between liquids such as hydrogen peroxide and propylene. The reactor is made up of a series of separate zones containing a packed bed of solid catalyst; liquid from each zone is cooled with the main portion recycled to the same zone and a minor portion passing to the next successive zone.