Patents by Inventor Michael T. Holbrook

Michael T. Holbrook has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Process for the complete saturation of halogenated hydrocarbon streams containing unsaturated compounds
    Patent number: 5659108
    Abstract: A saturation process for essentially completely saturating unsaturated halogenated hydrocarbonaceous materials in a feedstock containing such unsaturated materials, employing a first recycle reactor for accomplishing the bulk of the saturation and a second, single pass, plug flow-type polishing reactor in combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Holbrook, Lawrence A. Hebert, Katherine A. Pividal, Celio Lume Pereira
  • Hydrodechlorination process and catalyst for use therein
    Patent number: 5476984
    Abstract: A novel, improved process and catalyst are provided for the catalytic hydrodechlorination of a chlorinated alkane to its corresponding less-chlorinated and preferably non-chlorinated alkane, for example the hydrodechlorination of 1,2-dichloropropane to propane, the catalyst comprising a mixture of active Group VIII hydrogenating metals in elemental or compound form on a support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Mark D. Cisneros, Michael T. Holbrook, Larry N. Ito
  • Processes for converting chlorinated alkenes to useful, less chlorinated alkenes
    Patent number: 5476979
    Abstract: A process for converting a chlorinated alkene feedstock including two or more chlorines to reaction products including a less-chlorinated alkene in a commercially substantial proportion, comprising reacting the chlorinated alkene feedstock with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst consisting essentially of a Group VIII metal other than rhodium, palladium or ruthenium and a Group IB metal on a support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Larry N. Ito, Craig B. Murchison, Michael T. Holbrook, A. Dale Harley, David D. Smith
  • Processes for converting chlorinated byproducts and waste products to useful materials
    Patent number: 5453557
    Abstract: A process for the catalytic conversion of various chlorinated hydrocarbon byproducts and waste products especially to less chlorinated, useful or salable products, in which a chlorinated hydrocarbon feedstock containing two or more chlorines is reacted with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst consisting essentially of an active hydrogenating metal component such as platinum in elemental or compound form, and a surface segregating metal component such as copper in elemental or compound form on a support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: A. Dale Harley, Michael T. Holbrook, David D. Smith, Mark D. Cisneros, Larry N. Ito, Craig B. Murchison
  • Hydrodehalogenation process and catalyst for use therein
    Patent number: 5430214
    Abstract: A hydrodehalogenation process, comprising the step of reacting a saturated halohydrocarbon (e.g., 1,2-dichloropropane) with hydrogen or a hydrogen donor in the gas phase in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of ruthenium on a support, and at temperatures of at least about 100 degrees Celsius, to produce reaction products including a corresponding non-halogenated, unsaturated hydrocarbon (e.g., propylene).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: David D. Smith, Michael T. Holbrook, A. Dale Harley, Larry N. Ito
  • Catalyst for hydrohalogenation of hydrocarbons
    Patent number: 5183797
    Abstract: A process for hydrohalogenating methanol with a hydrogen halide using a catalyst having an initial zone of lower activity and subsequent zones of higher activity so that coke formation and pressure drop are decreased and catalyst life is increased while overall high catalyst activity is maintained. One example of such a process uses a low surface area amorphous alumina in an initial zone and then progressively higher surface area alumina in subsequent zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Holbrook, Lawrence A. Hebert, Stephen W. Najmy, Ernest F. Stine, Jr., Reimer Hasche
  • Process and catalyst for hydrohalogenation of hydrocarbons
    Patent number: 5109138
    Abstract: A process for hydrohalogenating methanol with a hydrogen halide using a catalyst having an initial zone of lower activity and subsequent zones of higher activity so that coke formation and pressure drop are decreased and catalyst life is increased while overall high catalyst activity is maintained. One example of such a process uses a low surface area amorphous alumina in an initial zone and then progressively higher surface area alumina in subsequent zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Holbrook, Lawrence A. Hebert, Stephen W. Najmy, Ernest F. Stine, Jr., Reimer Hasche
  • Vapor phase hydrogenation of carbon tetrachloride
    Patent number: 5105032
    Abstract: A process for the hydrodechlorination of carbon tetrachloride to produce chloroform and methylene chloride utilizes a supported platinum catalyst that is subjected to chloride pre-treatment. The platinum catalyst may be promoted with small amounts of metals such as tin. By-product production is decreased and duration of catalyst activity is improved by the process of this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Holbrook, A. Dale Harley
  • Catalyst for hydrochlorination of hydrocarbons
    Patent number: 5041406
    Abstract: Methyl chloride is produced by contacting methanol and hydrogen chloride in the vapor phase in the presence of KZnCl.sub.3 supported on silica. The process produces methyl chloride in good yield with minimal formation of dimethyl ether as a by-product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1991
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: A. Dale Harley, Michael T. Holbrook
  • Liquid feed injection in a chloromethanes process
    Patent number: 5023387
    Abstract: An adiabatic vapor phase chlorination of methylene chloride, methyl chloride or a mixture thereof is improved by the injection of a portion of the methylene chloride, methyl chloride or mixture thereof into the reactor in the liquid state under conditions such that the temperature throughout the reaction zone is maintained at less than about 500.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: David H. West, Lawrence A. Hebert, Roger L. Bowlin, Michael T. Holbrook
  • Process for the production of halogenated hydrocarbons
    Patent number: 4962247
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for continuously producing halogenated hydrocarbons by: (1) flowing a feed mixture containing CO, H2 and a halogen source into a reaction zone containing a catalyst bed; (2) removing from the reaction zone the resultant reaction product which contains the desired halogenated hydrocarbons; and (3) maintaining the halogen source content in the feed mixture at from about the stoichiometric amount to about twice the stoichiometric amount needed to produce the halogenated hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1990
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Holbrook, Timothy Juhlke
  • Process and catalyst for hydrochlorination of hydrocarbons
    Patent number: 4935565
    Abstract: Methyl chloride is produced by contacting methanol and hydrogen chloride in the vapor phase in the presence of KZnCl.sub.3 supported on silica. The process produces methyl chloride in good yield with minimal formation of dimethyl ether as a by-product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: A. Dale Harley, Michael T. Holbrook
  • Liquid phase chlorination of chlorinated methanes
    Patent number: 4614572
    Abstract: This invention relates to an improved liquid phase chlorination process for the chlorination of methyl chloride to preferentially produce methylene chloride. The chlorine is provided to the reaction mixture in a mole percent, based upon the total moles of chlorine and methyl chloride in the mix, which ranges from about 16 mole percent to about 2 mole percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1986
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Holbrook, Thomas E. Morris