Hydrogenation catalysts comprising a mixed oxide and processes for producing ethanol

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9458072-B2
Application number	US-201514740797-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2015
Priority date	Apr 28, 2014
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

A process is disclosed for producing ethanol, comprising contacting acetic acid and hydrogen in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst comprising a binder and a mixed oxide comprising cobalt and preferably tin, wherein the mixed oxide is present in an amount from 60 to 90 wt. %, based on the total weight of the catalyst.

First claim

We claim:

1. A process for producing ethanol comprising contacting acetic acid and hydrogen in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst comprising a binder, and a mixed oxide comprising cobalt and tin, wherein the total cobalt loading of the catalyst is from 25 to 45 wt. %, based on the total metal content of the catalyst.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the mixed oxide comprises cobalt(II)-stannate.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the mixed oxide is present in an amount from 60 to 90 wt. %, based on the total weight of the catalyst.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the total cobalt loading of the catalyst is from 30 to 40 wt. %, based on the total metal content of the catalyst.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the total tin loading of the catalyst is from 40 to 65 wt. %, based on the total metal content of the catalyst.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the total tin loading of the catalyst is from 40 to 55 wt. %, based on the total metal content of the catalyst.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst has a molar ratio of cobalt to tin from 2:1 to 0.75:1.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the mixed oxide further comprises nickel.

9. The process of claim 8 , wherein the total nickel loading of the catalyst is from 2 to 40 wt. %, based on the total metal content of the catalyst.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is substantially free of rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, and combinations thereof.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is substantially free of zinc, zirconium, cadmium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, and combinations thereof.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of silica, aluminum oxide, and titania.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein the binder is present in an amount from 5 to 40 wt. %, based on the total weight of the catalyst.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein the binder is present in an amount from 10 to 20 wt. %, based on the total weight of the catalyst.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst has a surface area from 100 m 2 /g to 250 m 2 /g.

16. The process of claim 1 , wherein the contacting is performed in a vapor phase at a temperature of 200° C. to 350° C., an absolute pressure of 101 kPa to 3000 kPa, and a hydrogen to acetic acid mole ratio of greater than 4:1.

17. A process for producing ethanol, comprising contacting acetic acid and hydrogen in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst comprising a binder and a mixed oxide comprising cobalt and tin, wherein the catalyst is substantially free of rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, and combinations thereof.

18. The process of claim 17 , wherein the mixed oxide further comprises nickel.

19. The process of claim 17 , wherein the catalyst is substantially free of zinc, zirconium, cadmium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, and combinations thereof.

20. A catalyst for producing ethanol comprising:
a binder present in an amount from 5 to 40 wt. %, based on the total weight of the catalyst, and
a mixed oxide comprising cobalt and tin,
wherein the catalyst is substantially free of rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, and combinations thereof.

21. The catalyst of claim 20 , wherein the total cobalt loading of the catalyst is from 25 to 45 wt. %, based on the total metal content of the catalyst.

22. The process of claim 21 , wherein the total tin loading of the catalyst is from 40 to 65 wt. %, based on the total metal content of the catalyst.

23. The process of claim 22 , wherein the mixed oxide is present in an amount from 70 to 85 wt. %, based on the total weight of the catalyst.

Assignees

• Celanese Int Corp

Inventors

• Weiner Heiko
• Zhou Zhenhua
• Johnston Victor J

Classifications

• B01J23/835

  with germanium, tin or lead · CPC title

• C07C29/149 Primary

  with hydrogen or hydrogen-containing gases · CPC title

• B01J37/035

  Precipitation on carriers · CPC title

• B01J2523/845

  Cobalt · CPC title

• B01J23/8966

  with germanium, tin or lead · CPC title