2024 AIChE Annual Meeting
(513f) Navigating Unexplored Routes Toward Familiar Destinations: An Exploration of Sustainable Pathways for Producing Classic Chemicals
Author
Despite the long-standing production of major chemicals in large quantities, practitioners in the industry continue to explore innovative ways to produce these classic chemicals more sustainably using energy-efficient processes. As companies seize the opportunity presented by inexpensive shale gas feedstock, technological advancements are prompting shifts throughout the chemical supply chain. These realignments are driving novel approaches to economically manufacture classic chemicals. In particular, efforts are underway to develop platforms for leveraging abundant ethylene from inexpensive shale gas feedstock to produce propionate intermediates through hydroxy- and metoxy-carbonylation reactions. These intermediates, in turn, serve as building blocks for producing methyl-methacrylate monomers (MMA). Methyl methacrylate (MMA) can be produced in diverse ways based on C2-C4 hydrocarbon feedstocks. Traditionally, the dominant commercial process, the ACH route, employs acetone and hydrogen cyanide to synthesize MMA. However, the hydrogen cyanide and the acetone cyanohydrin intermediates present a number of operational and other challenges. The development of a process starting from ethylene can alleviate the operational challenges associated with the current ACH commercial MMA process. While existing literature predominantly focuses on homogeneous catalysis for hydroxy- and methoxy-carbonylation, our emphasis lies in exploring heterogeneous catalytic pathways that facilitate separation. We will discuss the synthesis and characterization of novel heterogeneous catalytic systems for ethylene hydroxy- and methoxy-carbonylation and the relationships between catalyst properties and catalyst performance. Remarkable catalysts were studied that enabled significant steps forward in both the advancement of catalysis science in and establishing a basis for new technologies. Emblematic examples include Mo(CO)6 on solid acid supports for hydroxy-carbonylation and metal sulfide catalysts for methoxy-carbonylation.