US 6,982,357 B2
PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF PROPANE-1,3-DIOL BY VAPOR PHASE HYDROGENATION OF 3-HYDROXYPROPANAL, BETA-PROPIOLACTONE, OLIGOMERS OF BETA-PROPIOLACTONE, ESTERS OF 3-HYDROXYPROPANOIC ACID OR MIXTURES THEREOF
Simon Peter Crabtree, Durham (United Kingdom); and Richard Kevin Henderson, Darlington (United Kingdom)
Assigned to Davy Process Technology Limited, London (United Kingdom)
Appl. No. 10/221,839
PCT Filed Mar. 14, 2001, PCT No. PCT/GB01/01128
§ 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Jan. 30, 2003,
PCT Pub. No. WO01/70659, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 27, 2001.
Claims priority of application No. 0006722 (GB), filed on Mar. 20, 2000; and application No. 0020738 (GB), filed on Aug. 22, 2000.
Prior Publication US 2003/0153795 A1, Aug. 14, 2003
Int. Cl. C07C 29/136 (2006.01); C07C 29/14 (2006.01); C07C 29/141 (2006.01); C07C 29/147 (2006.01); C07C 29/149 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 568—864 7 Claims
 
1. A process for the production of propane-1,3-diol which comprises
forming a vaporous feed mixture comprising a hydrogen-containing gas and a substantially anhydrous feedstock selected from β-propiolactone, oligomers of β-propiolactone, esters of 3-hydroxypropanoic acid, and mixtures of two or more thereof,
supplying the vaporous feed mixture to a hydrogenation zone containing a heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst selected from reduced copper oxide/zinc oxide hydrogenation catalysts, reduced manganese-promoted copper catalysts, reduced copper chromite catalysts and reduced promoted copper chromite catalysts at a temperature of from about 130° C. to about 180° C. and a feed pressure to the hydrogenation zone of from about 50 psia (about 344.74 kpa) to about 2000 psia (13789.52 kPa) said hydrogenation conditions effective for hydrogenating feedstock to propane-1,3-diol, and
recovering from the hydrogenation zone a reaction product comprising propane-1,3-diol.