Epoxidation of olefins by reacting olefin, oxygen & catalyst, & subsequent quenching & conversion of carbon dioxide, & chemicals derivable from olefin oxides

摘要

A process for the epoxidation of an olefin comprises: ```reacting a feed comprising the olefin and oxygen in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst to form a first mixture comprising the olefin oxide and carbon dioxide; ```quenching the first mixture (e.g. by reducing the temperature to no more than 250{C); and ```converting the quenched first mixture (by allowing reaction of the olefin oxide and carbon dioxide, e.g. in the presence of a catalyst) to form a second mixture comprising the olefin oxide and a 1,2-carbonate. The epoxidation reaction may take place in one or more process microchannels (210) within a first section (240) of a microchannel reactor. Quenching the first mixture may be effected by heat exchange with a heat exchange fluid (in channel 450, in intermediate section 440) downstream of the epoxidation catalyst. Conversion may take place in a second section (340) of a microchannel reactor. The olefin oxide product may be further reacted with water, an alcohol, carbon dioxide or an amine (from feed channel 360) to form a 1,2-diol, 1,2-diol ether, 1,2-carbonate or an alcohol amine respectively.