COMPOSITIONS FOR CARBOXYLIC ACID PRODUCTION AND METHODS FOR MAKING AND USING SAME

摘要

An alcohol such as methanol is reacted with carbon monoxide in a liquid reaction medium including a catalyst, an alkyl iodide such as methyl iodide, alkyl acetate such as methyl acetate in specified proportions, an additive, and an effective amount of water, where the additive increases an ionic character of the hydrogen iodide bond and the effective amount of water is sufficient to facilitate carboxylic acid release after carbonylation at the catalyst and to reduce anhydride formation. The present reaction system not only provides an acid product at water levels considerable below levels currently used, but also provides unexpected reaction rates and unexpected high catalyst stability.

主权项

1. A carbonylation composition comprising:
a metal-containing catalyst, an alcohol (ROH) or an alkyl acetate (AcOR), an alkyl iodide (RI), one or a plurality of hydrogen iodide (HI) solvating additives selected from the group consisting of sulfones (R3SO2R4), oligomers, co-oligomers, polymers and co-polymers including at least one sulfone containing monomer (poly(SO2)), and mixtures thereof, an effective amount of added water of less than 2 wt. %, and carbon monoxide, where the catalyst converts the alcohol into a carboxylic acid having one more carbon atom, the solvating additive increases an ionic character of the hydrogen iodide bond of hydrogen iodide formed during carbonylation reducing the effective amount of added water to a concentration at or below 4 wt. % and improves catalyst stability and where the effective amount of water is sufficient to facilitate the release of carboxylic acid after carbonylation of the alcohol/alkyl acetate and to reduce anhydride formation.