Catalysts and Processes for Making Catalysts for Producing Neopentane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019366306-A1
Application number	US-201916390844-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 22, 2019
Priority date	May 30, 2018
Publication date	Dec 5, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Catalysts and processes for producing catalysts for neopentane production are provided herein. A process includes reducing a catalyst precursor comprising a transition metal and an inorganic support at a temperature less than 500° C. to produce a catalyst. Also provided herein are processes to produce neopentane using the catalysts described herein and neopentane compositions produced therefrom.

First claim

1 . A process for making a demethylation catalyst, the process comprising reducing a catalyst precursor comprising a transition metal and an inorganic support at a temperature less than 500° C. to produce the demethylation catalyst.

2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst precursor is reduced at a temperature less than 450° C.

3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst precursor is reduced at a temperature from 375° C. to 425° C.

4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst precursor is reduced in the presence of a reducing agent.

5 . The process of claim 4 , wherein the reducing agent is hydrogen.

6 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst precursor is reduced in the presence of 100 to 500 standard cubic centimeters per minute of hydrogen.

7 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst precursor is reduced in the presence of at least 250 standard cubic centimeters per minute of hydrogen.

8 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst precursor is reduced at a temperature less than 450° C. and in the presence of 100 to 500 standard cubic centimeters per minute of hydrogen.

9 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising impregnating the inorganic support with the transition metal.

10 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising precipitating the catalyst precursor from a solution including the transition metal, the inorganic support, and a precipitating agent.

11 . The process of claim 10 , wherein the precipitating agent comprises urea.

12 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the transition metal comprises iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, or a combination thereof.

13 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the transition metal comprises nickel.

14 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic support comprises an inorganic oxide, talc, a zeolite, a clay, an organically modified clay, or a combination thereof.

15 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic support comprises silica, a silicate, an aluminosilicate, alumina, an aluminate, or a combination thereof.

16 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the demethylation catalyst exhibits an adsorption of hydrogen gas of at least 0.03H 2 :Ni.

17 . A demethylation catalyst produced according to the process of claim 1 .

18 . A process for producing neopentane, the process comprising:
(a) reducing a catalyst precursor comprising a transition metal and an inorganic support at a temperature less than 500° C. to produce a demethylation catalyst; and (b) contacting a stream including a C 6 -C 8 alkane with hydrogen in the presence of the demethylation catalyst to produce a demethylation product including at least 10 wt % neopentane based on the weight of the demethylation product.

19 . The process of claim 18 , wherein the demethylation catalyst exhibits a conversion rate of the C 6 -C 8 alkane of at least 60%.

20 . The process of claim 18 , wherein the C 6 -C 8 alkane comprises, neohexane, neoheptane, isooctane, or a combination thereof.

21 . The process of claim 18 , further comprising separating at least part of the neopentane from the demethylation product.

22 . The process of claim 18 , wherein contacting the stream with the demethylation catalyst is carried out at a temperature of 200° C. to 500° C.

23 . The process of claim 18 , wherein contacting the stream with the demethylation catalyst is carried out in the presence of hydrogen at a hydrogen to hydrocarbon molar ratio of 1:1 to 14:1.

24 . The process of claim 18 , wherein the demethylation product comprises 25 wt % to 50 wt % neopentane based on the weight of the demethylation product and zero wt % to 10 wt % C 6 + hydrocarbon components based on the weight of the demethylation product.

25 . A composition comprising neopentane produced in accordance with claim 18 .

Assignees

• Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc

Inventors

• Mazoyer Etienne
• Wang Kun
• Jaensch Helge

Classifications

• B01J37/035

  Precipitation on carriers · CPC title

• B01J37/18

  with gases containing free hydrogen · CPC title

• B01J23/755 Primary

  Nickel · CPC title

• B01J37/088

  Decomposition of a metal salt · CPC title

• B01J37/0201

  Impregnation · CPC title