PRODUCTION OF POLYPROPYLENE FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES

摘要

Processes for forming propylene from methanol are disclosed. The processes involve converting methanol to a product mixture comprising ethylene and propylene, separating the ethylene from the propylene, dimerizing a first portion of the ethylene to form a product mixture comprising 1-butylene, isomerizing the 1-butylene to form a mixture of cis and trans 2-butylene, and performing olefin metathesis on a second portion of the ethylene and the mixture of cis and trans 2-butylene. In one embodiment, the methanol is produced by converting syngas to methanol, and in one aspect of this embodiment, the syngas, or a portion thereof, is produced from renewable feedstocks. In this aspect, renewable propylene is produced. The propylene can be polymerized to form polypropylene or co- or terpolymers thereof, and when the propylene is made from renewable resources, the resulting polymer is a renewable polymer.

主权项

1. A process for producing propylene, comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining a source of methanol, and converting the methanol to a product mixture comprising ethylene and propylene using methanol-to-olefins chemistry, b) separating the ethylene from the propylene, c) dimerizing a first portion of the ethylene to form a product mixture comprising 1-butylene, d) isomerizing 1-butylene to form cis and trans 2-butylene, e) subjecting a second portion of the ethylene and a first portion of the cis and trans 2-butylene to olefin metathesis to form a product mixture comprising propylene, and f) isolating propylene.