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. |
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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.
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