(255d) Intensification of Catalytic Reactions with Neoteric Solvent Media
AIChE Annual Meeting
2011
2011 Annual Meeting
Process Development Division
Process Intensification Plenary Session
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 - 10:23am to 11:00am
This talk will address the various unique ways in which solvent media such as supercritical fluids and gas-expanded liquids (GXLs) can be exploited to develop greener catalytic process concepts for O2 and H2O2-based oxidations, hydroformylations and ozonolysis. The demonstrated advantages include process intensification at mild conditions by increasing dissolution of the limiting reagent (gaseous reactants such as O2 or syngas or light olefins) in the GXL reaction phase;enhancing inherent safety by suppression of flammable vapors; and waste mitigation by reduced usage of organic solvents and by suppression of side reactions that generate undesired byproducts such as CO2. Specific examples of novel process concepts to be discussed include the highly selective hydroformylation of higher olefins at mild conditions; a novel homogeneous ethylene oxide process virtually eliminating CO2 formation as a byproduct; and a one-step spray reactor concept to produce polymer-grade terephthalic acid from p-xylene at high yields and purity.