Organic compounds -- part of the class 532-570 series – Organic compounds – Carboxylic acids and salts thereof
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-04
2001-05-15
Acquah, Samuel A. (Department: 1711)
Organic compounds -- part of the class 532-570 series
Organic compounds
Carboxylic acids and salts thereof
C562S414000, C562S416000, C562S590000, C562S593000, C502S024000, C502S029000, C502S031000, C502S056000, C502S314000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06232495
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to methods of oxidizing hydrocarbons, such as cyclohexane for example, to respective dibasic acids, such as adipic acid for example, and more specifically, how to treat catalyst after the reaction, preferably for recycling.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There is a plethora of references (both patents and literature articles) dealing with the formation of acids, one of the most important being adipic acid, by oxidation of hydrocarbons. Adipic acid is used to produce Nylon 66 fibers and resins, polyesters, polyurethanes, and miscellaneous other compounds.
There are different processes of manufacturing adipic acid. The conventional process involves a first step of oxidizing cyclohexane with oxygen to a mixture of cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol (KA mixture), and then oxidation of the KA mixture with nitric acid to adipic acid. Other processes include, among others, the “Hydroperoxide Process”, the “Boric Acid Process”, and the “Direct Synthesis Process”, which involves direct oxidation of cyclohexane to adipic acid with oxygen in the presence of solvents, catalysts, and promoters.
The Direct Synthesis Process has been given attention for a long time. However, to this date it has found little commercial success. One of the reasons is that although it looks very simple at first glance, it is extremely complex in reality. Due to this complexity, one can find strikingly conflicting results, comments, and views in different references.
It is well known that after a reaction has taken place according to the Direct Synthesis, a mixture of two liquid phases is present at ambient temperature, along with a solid phase mainly consisting of adipic acid. The two liquid phases have been called the “Polar Phase” and the “Non-Polar Phase”. However, no attention has been paid so far to the importance of the two phases, except for separating the adipic acid from the “Polar Phase” and recycling these phases to the reactor partially or totally with or without further treatment.
It is also important to note that most studies on the Direct Synthesis have been conducted in a batch mode, literally or for all practical purposes.
As aforementioned, there is a plethora of references dealing with oxidation of organic compounds to produce acids, such as, for example, adipic acid and/or intermediate products, such as for example cyclohexanone, cyclohexanol, cyclohexylhydroperoxide, etc.
The following references, among others, may be considered as representative of oxidation processes relative to the preparation of diacids and other intermediate oxidation products.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,119 (Kollar) discloses a process for the oxidative preparation of C
5
-C
8
aliphatic dibasic acids by
(1) reacting,
(a) at least one saturated cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon having from 5 to 8 ring carbon atoms in the liquid phase and
(b) an excess of oxygen gas or an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of
(c) a solvent comprising an organic acid containing only primary and/or secondary hydrogen atoms and
(d) at least about 0.002 mole per 1000 grams of reaction mixture of a polyvalent heavy metal catalyst;
(2) removing the aliphatic dibasic acid; and
(3) recycling intermediates, post oxidation components, and derivatives thereof remaining after removal of the aliphatic dibasic acid into the oxidation reaction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,767 (Drinkard et al.) discloses formation of cyclohexyladipates in a staged reactor, e.g., a reactive distillation column. A mixture containing a major amount of benzene and a minor amount of cyclohexene is fed to the lower portion of the reaction zone and adipic acid is fed to the upper portion of the reaction zone, cyclohexyladipates are formed and removed from the lower portion of the reaction zone and benzene is removed from the upper portion of the reaction zone. The reaction zone also contains an acid catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,157 (Kollar) discloses a process for the preparation of C
5
-C
8
aliphatic dibasic acids through oxidation of corresponding saturated cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons by
(1) reacting, at a cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon conversion level of between about 7% and about 30%,
(a) at least one saturated cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon having from 5 to 8 ring carbon atoms in the liquid phase and
(b) an excess of oxygen gas or an oxygen containing gas mixture in the presence of
(c) less than 1.5 moles of a solvent per mole of cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon (a), wherein said solvent comprises an organic acid containing only primary and/or secondary hydrogen atoms and
(d) at least about 0.002 mole per 1000 grams of reaction mixture of a polyvalent heavy metal catalyst; and
(2) isolating the C5-C8 aliphatic dibasic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,100 (Barnette et al.) describes a process of oxidizing cyclohexane to produce cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol, said process comprising contacting a stream of liquid cyclohexane with oxygen in each of at least three successive oxidation stages by introducing into each stage a mixture of gases comprising molecular oxygen and an inert gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,876 (Rapoport et al.) describes a process for the preparation of cyclohexyl hydroperoxide substantially free of other peroxides by oxidation of cyclohexane containing a cyclohexane soluble cobalt salt in a zoned oxidation process in which an oxygen containing gas is fed to each zone in the oxidation section in an amount in excess of that which will react under the conditions of that zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,513 (Russell) discloses the oxidation of cyclohexane with molecular oxygen in a series of reaction zones, with vaporization of cyclohexane from the last reactor effluent and parallel distribution of this cyclohexane vapor among the series of reaction zones.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,185 (Pugi) discloses a process for manufacturing precursors of adipic acid by oxidation with an oxygen-containing inert gas which process is conducted in at least three successive oxidation stages by passing a stream of liquid cyclohexane maintained at a temperature in the range of 140° to 200° C. and a pressure in the range of 50 to 350 p.s.i.g. through each successive oxidation stage and by introducing a mixture of gases containing oxygen in each oxidation stage in an amount such that substantially all of the oxygen introduced into each stage is consumed in that stage thereafter causing the residual inert gases to pass countercurrent into the stream of liquid during the passage of the stream through said stages.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,515,751 (Oberster et al.) discloses a process for the production of epsilon-hydroxycaproic acid in which cyclohexane is oxidized by liquid phase air oxidation in the presence of a catalytic amount of a lower aliphatic carboxylic acid and a catalytic amount of a peroxide under certain reaction conditions so that most of the oxidation products are found in a second, heavy liquid layer, and are directed to the production of epsilon-hydroxycaproic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,361,806 (Lidov et al.) discloses a process for the production of adipic acid by the further oxidation of the products of oxidation of cyclohexane after separation of cyclohexane from the oxidation mixture, and more particularly to stage wise oxidation of the cyclohexane to give high yields of adipic acid precursors and also to provide a low enough concentration of oxygen in the vent gas so that the latter is not a combustible mixture.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,234,271 (Barker et al.) discloses a process for the production of adipic acid by the two-step oxidation of cyclohexane with oxygen. In a preferred embodiment, mixtures comprising cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol are oxidized. In another embodiment, the process involves the production of adipic acid from cyclohexane by oxidation thereof, separation of cyclohexane from the oxidation mixture and recycle thereof, and further oxidation of the other products of oxidation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,231,608 (Kollar) discloses a process for the preparation of aliphatic dibasic acids from saturated cyclic hydrocarbons having from 4 to 8 cyclic carbon atoms per molecule in the presen
Dassel Mark W.
DeCoster David C.
Dudgeon Douglas J.
Rostami Ader M.
Vassiliou Eustathios
Acquah Samuel A.
RPC Inc.
Seed Intellectual Property Law Group PLLC
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