A process for hydrolyzing alkyl monohalides comprises using activated carbon impregnated with alkali metal hydroxide or alkaline earth metal hydroxide in the presence of water and converting the alkyl monohalides virtually quantitatively into the corresponding alcohols. Apparatus for carrying out the process comprises at least one, preferably two, especially three, reactors (2), especially tubular reactors. The process is also particularly useful for preparing alcohols.
A hydrogenated polymer is prepared by a method comprising: hydrogenating a polymer having carbon--carbon double bonds and a hydroxy group and/or a functional group which is convertible into a hydroxy group or into a hydroxymethyl group in the presence of a catalyst of palladium on a base activated carbon and/or platinum on a base activated carbon.
An oxidative halogenation process involving contacting a reactant hydrocarbon selected from methane, a halogenated C.sub.1 hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof with a source of halogen and, preferably, a source of oxygen in the presence of a rare earth halide or rare earth oxyhalide catalyst, so as to form a halogenated C.sub.1 hydrocarbon having a greater number of halogen substituents as compared with the reactant hydrocarbon. Preferably, the product is a monohalogenated methane, more preferably, methyl chloride. The oxidative halogenation process to form methyl halide can be integrated with downstream processes to produce valuable commodity chemicals, for example, methyl alcohol and/or dimethyl ether; light olefins, including ethylene, propylene, and butenes; higher hydrocarbons, including gasolines; vinyl halide monomer, and acetic acid. Hydrogen halide, which is a co-product of these downstream processes, can be recycled to the oxidative halogenation process.
A process for converting gaseous alkanes to liquid hydrocarbons wherein a gaseous feed containing alkanes is reacted with a dry bromine vapor to form alkyl bromides and hydrobromic acid vapor. The mixture of alkyl bromides and hydrobromic acid are then reacted over a synthetic crystalline alumino-silicate catalyst, such as a ZSM-5 zeolite, at a temperature of from about 150.degree. C. to about 400.degree. C. so as to form higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and hydrobromic acid vapor. Hydrobromic acid vapor is removed from the higher molecular weight hydrocarbons. A portion of the propane and butane is removed from the higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and reacted with the mixture of alkyl bromides and hydrobromic acid over the synthetic crystalline alumino-silicate catalyst to form C.sub.5+ hydrocarbons.
A process for converting gaseous alkanes to liquid hydrocarbons wherein a gaseous feed containing alkanes is reacted with a dry bromine vapor to form alkyl bromides and hydrobromic acid vapor. The mixture of alkyl bromides and hydrobromic acid are then reacted over a synthetic crystalline alumino-silicate catalyst, such as a ZSM-5 zeolite, at a temperature of from about 150.degree. C. to about 450.degree. C. so as to form higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and hydrobromic acid vapor. Propane and butane which comprise a portion of the products may be recovered or recycled back through the process to form additional C.sub.5+ hydrocarbons. Various methods are disclosed to remove the hydrobromic acid vapor from the higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and to generate bromine from the hydrobromic acid for use in the process.
An oxidative halogenation process involving contacting a hydrocarbon, for example, ethylene, or a halogenated hydrocarbon with a source of halogen, such as hydrogen chloride, and a source of oxygen in the presence of a catalyst so as to form a halocarbon, preferably a chlorocarbon, having a greater number of halogen substituents than the starting hydrocarbon or halogenated hydrocarbon, for example, 1,2-dichloroethane. The catalyst is a novel composition comprising copper dispersed on a porous rare earth halide support, preferably, a porous rare earth chloride support. A catalyst precursor composition comprising copper dispersed on a porous rare earth oxyhalide support is disclosed. Use of the porous rare earth halide and oxyhalide as support materials for catalytic components is disclosed.
