Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Chemical reactor – Organic polymerization
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-09
2003-10-07
Johnson, Jerry D. (Department: 1764)
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Chemical reactor
Organic polymerization
C422S131000, C422S134000, C422S186220, C422S186220, C422S198000, C422S198000, C422S234000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06630112
ABSTRACT:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved two-phase process for carrying out a continuous reaction (such as dimerisation, co-dimerisation, oligomerisation or metathesis of olefins) on an organic feed, using a catalyst which contains at least one catalytic clement, dissolved in a non-aqueous ionic medium which is not or is only slightly miscible with the olefins. In other words, it relates to a process for carrying out a two-phase catalyzed reaction. The invention also relates to a unit for carrying out the process.
As described above, a two-phase system has the advantage of using the catalyst better than using a single-phase, homogeneous system. However, continuous economic implementation of a two-phase system poses a certain number of problems, such as interference with the catalyst and with the polar phase by trace impurities contained in the feeds. Such impurities are water, alcohols, ethers, nitrogen-containing compounds and sulphur-containing compounds. They react with the catalyst-polar phase complex.
The process of the invention consists of circulating a counter-current of feed and polar phase in at least two treatment loops. This results in a pre-treatment of the feed in the first loop by used catalytic composition, i.e., that which has lost the majority of its activity, the used catalytic composition originating from the second loop, and then being withdrawn from the process. This implementation reduces consumption of the catalyst-polar phase system, avoids the need for a section for eliminating the transition element and enables the catalyst to be treated off-site.
The process of the invention is a process for carrying out a reaction on an organic feed, in the presence of a polar phase containing at least one catalytic composition resulting from mixing: at least one non-aqueous ionic medium which is not or is only slightly miscible with the organic phase; at least one compound of a catalytic element; and optionally at least one co-catalyst.
In the process of the invention, the feed to be treated and the non-aqueous medium circulate as a counter-current between at least two treatment loops, each loop comprising at least one reaction zone connected to at least one zone for separating the organic and polar phases, the feed to be treated being supplied to the reaction zone of the first loop and fresh non-aqueous ionic medium, i.e., as yet unused, being introduced to the reaction zone in the second or final loop. The other constituent(s) of the catalytic composition can be introduced to any part of the process. The polar phase separated in the separation zone of the second loop or from each of the subsequent loops is sent to the reaction zone of the first loop or respectively the preceding loop, while the organic phase separated in the separation zone of the first loop or its subsequent loops is sent to the reaction zone of the second loop or respectively its subsequent loop. The organic phase obtained from the separation zone of the final loop and the polar phase obtained from the separation zone of the first loop are withdrawn from the process.
In a preferred variation, a portion of the reaction medium from one reaction zone is withdrawn from one part of said zone for re-injection into said zone.
Advantageously, at least a portion of the polar phase withdrawn from one separation zone of a loop is recycled to the reaction zone of the same loop.
Preferably, said fresh non-aqueous ionic medium also comprises at least a portion of at least one constituent of the catalytic composition. In that case, advantageously, the fresh non-aqueous ionic medium introduced to part of the final loop also comprises at least one transition element compound.
Preferably again, at least a portion of at least one constituent of the catalytic composition is introduced to part of the reaction zone of the first loop. Again advantageously, fresh co-catalyst is introduced into the reaction zone of the first loop.
In one implementation of the invention, a fresh catalytic composition comprising fresh non-aqueous ionic medium and at least one transition element compound and optionally at least one co-catalyst are introduced into the reaction zone of the last loop.
In the two-loop implementation illustrated below, the process comprises a first and a second treatment loop, each comprising a reaction zone (respectively A
1
and A
2
) connected to a separation zone (respectively B
1
and B
2
),
the feed to be treated is supplied to the first reaction zone A
1
, also co-catalyst, fresh non-aqueous ionic medium mixed with at least one transition element compound and optionally at least a portion of the co-catalyst being supplied to the second reaction zone A
2
;
the polar phase separated from separation zone B
2
is introduced into the reaction zone A
1
, while the organic phase separated in separation zone B
1
is introduced into reaction zone A
2
;
the organic phase containing the reaction products separated in separation zone B
2
and the used polar phase separated in separation zone B
1
being withdrawn from the process.
In one implementation, for example, a portion of the reaction medium is withdrawn from the reaction zone of the second loop, cooled and re-injected into that zone.
The non-aqueous ionic medium comprises at least one salt known as a “molten salt” and preferred salts of the invention have general formula Q
+
A
−
where A
−
represents a non co-ordinating or slightly co-ordinating anion. Preferred compounds are those which can form a liquid salt at low temperature, i.e., below 150° C. and advantageously at most 80° C., preferably below 50° C., for example halogenoaluminates, organohalogenoaluminates, halogenogallates, and organohalogenogallates. Q
+
represents a quaternary ammonium and/or quaternary phosphonium ion. The quaternary ammonium and/or phosphonium ions preferably have general formulae NR
1
R
2
R
3
R
4+
and PR
1
R
2
R
3
R
4+
or general formulae R
1
R
2
N═CR
3
R
4+
and R
1
R
2
P═CR
3
R
4+
where R
1
, R
2
, R
3
and R
4
, which may be identical or different, represent hydrogen with the exception of the cation NH
4
+
, and preferably a single substituent represents hydrogen, or hydrocarbyl residues containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms, for example saturated or unsaturated alkyl groups, cycloalkyls or aromatics, aryl or aralkyl groups, containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms. The ammonium and/or phosphonium ions can also be derivatives of nitrogen-containing or phosphorus-containing heterocycles containing 1, 2 or 3 nitrogen and/or phosphorous atoms, with general formulae:
where the cycles are constituted by 4 to 10 atoms, preferably 5 or 6 atoms, R
1
and R
2
being defined as above. The quaternary ammonium or phosphonium ion can also be, a cation with formula:
R
1
R
2+
N═CR
3
—R
5
—R
3
C═N
+
R
1
R
2
R
1
R
2+
P═CR
3
—R
5
—R
3
C═P
+
R
1
R
2
where R
1
, R
2
and R
3
, which may be identical or different, are defined as above and R
5
represents an alkylene or phenylene residue. The following R
1
, R
2
, R
3
and R
4
groups can be mentioned: methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, secondary butyl, tertiary butyl, amyl, methylene, ethylidene, phenyl or benzyl radicals; R
5
may be a methylene, ethylene, propylene or phenylene group. The ammonium and/or phosphonium cation is preferably selected from the group formed by N-butylpyridiunium, N-ethylpyridinium, 3-butyl-1-methylimidazolium, diethylpyrazolium, 3-ethyl-1-methylimidazolium, pyridinium, trimethylphenylammonium, 3-ethyl-1-methylimidazolium, and tetrabutylphosphonium.
These salts can be used alone or as a mixture. They act as a solvent.
For dimerisation, co-dimerisation, or oligomerisation, for example, the polar phase of the invention can also comprise a mixture of at least one lithium halide with at least one hydrocarbylaluminium halide (as described in European patent application EP-A-0 753 346).
In a further implementation, it can comprise a mixture of at least one ammonium halide or quaternary pheosphonium
Commereuc Dominique
Forestiere Alain
Hugues Francois
Olivier Helene
Doroshenk Alexa Ann
Institut Francais du Pe'trole
Johnson Jerry D.
Millen White Zelano & Branigan P.C.
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