Abstract: Production of methyl acetate by carbonylating a dimethyl ether feed with carbon monoxide under substantially anhydrous conditions, in the presence of a mordenite catalyst which contains copper and/or silver and 0.05 to 10 mol % platinum relative to aluminium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of branched chain hydrocarbons from methanol and/or dimethyl ether, which process comprises contacting, in a reactor, methanol and/or dimethyl ether with a catalyst comprising indium halide.

Abstract: A process for the production of a hydrocarbon comprises reacting methanol, dimethyl ether, methyl acetate or mixtures thereof, with an olefin in the presence of methyl halide and/or hydrogen halide and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of ruthenium carbonyl halides, osmium carbonyl halides and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Process for preparing a carboxylic acid and/or ester thereof by carbonylating an alcohol and/or reactive derivative thereof with carbon monoxide in the presence of a silver loaded mordenite catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the conversion of carbon oxide(s) and hydrogen containing feedstocks to oxygen containing hydrocarbon compounds in the presence of a particulate catalyst.

Abstract: A product comprising a C1-C3 aliphatic carboxylic acid or corresponding ester is produced by a process comprising carbonylating a C1-C3 aliphatic alcohol or a corresponding ester with carbon monoxide in the presence of a.zeolite catalyst having an 8-member ring channel which is interconnected with a channel defined by a ring with greater than or equal to 8 members, the 8-member ring having a window size of at least 2.5 Angstroms×at least 3.6 Angstroms and at least one Brønsted acid site and the zeolite having a silica:X2O3 ratio of at least 5, wherein X is selected from aluminium, boron, iron, gallium and mixtures thereof with the proviso that the zeolite is not mordenite or ferrierite.

Abstract: A product comprising a lower alkyl ester of a lower aliphatic carboxylic acid is produced by a process comprising reacting under substantially anhydrous conditions a lower alkyl ether with carbon monoxide in the presence of a zeolite catalyst having an 8-member ring channel which is interconnected with a channel defined by a ring with greater than or equal to 8 members, the 8-member ring having a window size of at least 2.5 Angstroms×at least 3.6 Angstroms and at least one Brønsted acid site and the zeolite having a silica:X2O3 ratio of at least 5, wherein X is selected from aluminum, boron, iron, gallium and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A product comprising a C1-C3 aliphatic carboxylic acid or corresponding ester is produced by a process comprising carbonylating a C1-C3 aliphatic alcohol or a corresponding ester with carbon monoxide in the presence of a zeolite catalyst having an 8-member ring channel which is interconnected with a channel defined by a ring with greater than or equal to 8 members, the 8-member ring having a window size of at least 2.5 Angstroms×at least 3.6 Angstroms and at least one Brønsted acid site and the zeolite having a silica:X2O3 ratio of at least 5, wherein X is selected from aluminium, boron, iron, gallium and mixtures thereof with the proviso that the zeolite is not mordenite or ferrierite.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of alkanes comprising a catalytic reaction resulting from contacting methane with at least one other starting alkane (I) in the presence of a metal compound (C) capable of catalysing a reaction for the splitting and/or recombination of a carbon-carbon bond and/or of a carbon-hydrogen bond and/or of a carbon-metal bond, which catalytic reaction results in the formation of at least one final alkane (II) having a number of carbon atoms equal to or greater than (2). In the process, the contacting operation is carried out under a methane partial pressure equal to or greater than 0.1 MPa, preferably in the range from 0.1 to 100 MPa. The metal compound (C) can be chosen from metal compounds supported on and dispersed over a solid support, metal compounds supported on and grafted to a solid support and non-supported metal compounds.

Abstract: A process for the liquid phase carbonylation of an alcohol and/or a reactive derivative thereof in the presence of hydrogen in which there is employed a catalyst comprising rhodium of iridium coordinated with a polydentate ligand.

Abstract: A process for the production of acetic acid by carbonylating methanol and/or a reactive derivative thereof with carbon monoxide in a carbonylation reactor containing a liquid reaction composition comprising an iridium carbonylation catalyst, methyl iodide co-catalyst, a finite concentration of water, acetic acid, methyl acetate, at least one promoter selected from ruthenium, osmium and rhenium and a stablising compound selected from the group consisting of alkali metal iodides, alkaline earth metal iodides, metal complexes capable of generating I?, salts capable of generating I?, and mixtures of two or more thereof wherein the molar ratio of promoter to iridium is greater than 2:1, and the molar ratio of stabilising compound to iridium is in the range [greater than 0 to 5]:1.

Abstract: A product comprising a lower alkyl ester of a lower aliphatic carboxylic acid is produced by a process comprising reacting a lower alkyl ether with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst comprising mordenite and/or ferrierite, optionally including an additional framework metal such as gallium, boron and/or iron, under substantially anhydrous conditions. More specifically, methyl acetate is selectively produced by reaction of dimethyl ether with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst comprising mordenite or ferrierite, under substantially anhydrous conditions.

Abstract: A process for the production of a carboxylic acid and/or the alcohol ester of a carboxylic acid by carbonylating an alcohol and/or a reactive derivative thereof with carbon monoxide employing as the carbonylation catalyst, cobalt, rhodium or iridium coordinated with a tridentate ligand.

Abstract: Acetic acid is produced by oxidation of methane with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of an acid selected from concentrated sulfuric acid and fuming sulfuric acid, a palladium-containing catalyst and a promoter, preferably a copper or iron salt. The addition of a promoter and O2 to a system that includes a palladium-containing catalyst such as PdCl2 increases the rate of acetic acid formation from methane by more than an order of magnitude as compared with prior art and, in addition, inhibits the precipitation of Pd black.

Abstract: Acetyl anhydrides such as acetyl sulfate are produced by a process for comprising contacting methane and carbon dioxide in an anhydrous environment in the presence of effective amounts of a transition metal catalyst and a reaction promoter, and an acid anhydride compound, and optionally an acid. The acetyl anhydride can be contacted with water to produce acetic acid or with an alcohol to produce a product comprising an acetate ester and that may also comprise acetic acid. Optionally, water in stoichiometric amounts or less, with respect to the acetic anhydride, may be fed to a continuous process of this type to produce some acetic acid in situ.

Abstract: A process for the production of acetic acid by carbonylation of methanol or a reactive derivative thereof by contacting the methanol or derivative with carbon monoxide in a liquid reaction composition comprising (a) acetic acid, (b) an iridium catalyst, (c) methyl iodide, (d) at least a finite quantity of water and (e) methyl acetate is improved by the use as promoter of at least one of ruthenium and osmium.

Abstract: A process for the production of a carboxylic acid having n+1 carbon atoms comprises (a) carbonylating with carbon monoxide in a first reaction zone at elevated temperature and pressure an alkyl alcohol having n carbon atoms and/or a reactive derivative thereof to produce a carboxylic acid having n+1 carbon atoms in a liquid reaction composition comprising carboxylic acid product, an iridium catalyst, an alkyl halide co-catalyst, water, an ester of the carboxylic acid product and the alkyl alcohol, and optionally one or more promoters, (b) withdrawing from the first reaction zone at least a portion of the liquid reaction composition together with dissolved and/or entrained carbon monoxide, and passing at least a portion of the withdrawn liquid reaction composition and carbon monoxide to a second reaction zone, ((c)reacting at least 1% of the dissolved and/or entrained carbon monoxide in the withdrawn reaction composition by further carbonylation at elevated temperature and pressure in the second reaction zone

Abstract: A process for the production of acetic acid comprises (1) continuously feeding methanol and/or a reactive derivative thereof and carbon monoxide to a carbonylation reactor containing a liquid reaction composition comprising an iridium carbonylation catalyst, methyl iodide co-catalyst, a finite concentration of water, acetic acid, methyl acetate and, optionally at least one promoter, (2) carbonylating the methanol and/or reactive derivative thereof with the carbon monoxide in the liquid reaction composition to produce acetic acid; and (3) recovering acetic acid from the liquid reaction composition, there being continuously maintained (a) in the liquid reaction composition water at a concentration of no greater than 4.5% by weight, and (b) in the reactor a carbon monoxide partial pressure in the range from greater than 0 to 7.5 bar.

Abstract: A process for the production of acetic acid by carbonylating with carbon monoxide methanol and/or a reactive derivative thereof in a carbonylation reactor containing a liquid reaction composition comprising an iridium carbonylation catalyst, methyl iodide co-catalyst, a finite concentration of water, acetic acid, methyl acetate and at least one promoter wherein the water concentration is at or below that at which the maximum in the graph of carbonylation rate versus water concentration occurs and there is employed in the liquid reaction composition a co-promoter selected from alkali metal iodides, alkaline earth metal iodides, metal complexes capable of generating I.sup.-, salts capable of generating I.sup.-, and mixtures of two or more thereof.

Abstract: A process for the carbonylation of a carbonylatable reactant having a carbonylatable moiety having at least two carbon atoms and/or a reactive derivative thereof which process comprises contacting said carbonylatable reactant and/or a reactive derivative thereof with carbon monoxide in a liquid reaction composition in a carbonylation reactor characterized in that the liquid reaction composition comprises: (a) an iridium catalyst, (b) a halide, (c) at least a finite concentration of water, (d) a carbonylatable reactant having a carbonylatable moiety having at least two carbon atoms and/or a reactive derivative thereof and (e) as promoter, at least one of ruthenium and osmium.