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Selective oxidation of propane to propylene oxide

Active Publication Date: 2019-08-20
UCHICAGO ARGONNE LLC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention provides a system and method for efficiently producing propylene oxide using catalysts made of specific numbers of atoms. The method involves a one-pot process using molecular oxygen and catalyst clusters smaller than 1 nanometer in diameter, resulting in high activity and selectivity to propylene oxide. Compared to existing methods, the invention eliminates the need for higher temperatures, precious metal catalysts, and a separation sequence for propene. The low temperature process is also cost-effective and efficient, making the most use of various metals.

Problems solved by technology

These multi-step processes are resource intensive and time consuming.
At present, there is no process or system for directly converting propane to PO.

Method used

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  • Selective oxidation of propane to propylene oxide
  • Selective oxidation of propane to propylene oxide
  • Selective oxidation of propane to propylene oxide

Examples

Experimental program
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example 1

[0048]Two clusters within two spots of 8 mm diameter were deposited on the top of n-doped silicon wafers coated with a thin layer of alumina. The alumina layer, of about 3 monolayer (ML) thickness, was fabricated by atomic layer deposition. The metal loading of the Cu4, Cu12, Cu20, Pd4, Cu4Pd, and Cu3Pd samples was 16.2 ng, 16.2 ng, 16.2 ng, 27.2 ng, 18.4 ng, and 19.00 ng respectively, corresponding to a surface coverage of 10 percent of an atomic monolayer equivalent. This ensures the inter-cluster distance of approximately 5-10 nm and inhibits any sintering occurring during the reaction as the catalyst is heated.

[0049]The reaction was performed in situ with X-ray characterization to simultaneously monitor the reaction products formation on a mass spectrometer, and to monitor the changes in the oxidation state of the clusters during the course of the reaction. The reactor was maintained at a pressure of 800 Torr with a continuous 18.54 sccm flow of 3% O2 and 3% propane mixed in hel...

example 2

[0056]FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A, and 6B depict the formation rate of propylene oxide per metal atom and selectivity on neat 4-atom Pd catalyst clusters (FIGS. 4A-4B) and Cu—Pd catalyst clusters (FIGS. 5A, 5B, 6A, and 6B).

[0057]TOR for propylene, propylene oxide, CO and CO2 are plotted for 4-atom palladium clusters Pd4 (FIG. 4A), 4-atom copper, 1 atom palladium cluster Cu4Pd (FIG. 5A), and 3-atom copper, 1-atom palladium cluster Cu3Pd (FIG. 6A). Carbon based selectivity for the reaction products are plotted for the Pd4 (FIG. 4B), Cu4Pd (FIG. 5B), and the Cu3Pd (FIG. 6B).

[0058]FIGS. 7A-7C is a schematic depiction of the interaction of reagent and product molecules to atoms comprising the catalyst cluster. FIG. 7A shows the propane (in a box) adsorbed onto the catalyst. FIG. 7B shows propylene intermediate adsorbed onto the catalyst. This is a transient condition, with the propylene (showed in a dashed box) converting as it is formed onto the catalyst. FIG. 7C shows propylene oxide prod...

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Abstract

The invention provides a one pot method for generating propylene oxide, the method having the steps of contacting propane with catalyst clusters no greater than 30 atoms in the presence of oxygen for a time sufficient to directly convert the propane to the propylene oxide. The invented method eliminates the generation of intermediate compounds or intermediate reaction steps.

Description

CONTRACTUAL ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention was made with government support under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357 awarded by the United States Department of Energy to UChicago Argonne, LLC, operator of Argonne National Laboratory. The government has certain rights in the invention.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention[0002]This invention relates to a system and a method for producing propylene oxide and more specifically, this invention relates to a system and method for producing propylene oxide directly from propane.2. Background of the Invention[0003]Propylene oxide (PO) is a key commodity of the petrochemical industry, produced from propylene, and is used to produce a wide range of consumer products like rigid foams, moldings, adhesive, coatings etc. PO has a present market value of $13 billion and is projected to have a 50% rise by 2023.[0004]A myriad of protocols for producing PO exist, just not directly from propane. Protocols are available for tran...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): C07D305/00B01J23/72B01J21/04B01J23/44B01J35/00B01J23/89C07D305/06
CPCB01J21/04B01J23/72C07D305/06B01J23/44B01J35/0006B01J23/8926B01J35/19
Inventor VAJDA, STEFANHALDER, AVIKCURTISS, LARRY A.
Owner UCHICAGO ARGONNE LLC
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