Process for carbonylation of alkyl ethers

Abstract

A product comprising a lower alkyl ester of a lower aliphatic carboxylic acid is produced by a process comprising reacting a lower alkyl ether with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst comprising mordenite and/or ferrierite, under substantially anhydrous conditions. More specifically, methyl acetate is selectively produced by reaction of dimethyl ether with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst comprising mordenite or ferrierite, under substantially anhydrous conditions.

1 . A process for producing a product comprising a lower alkyl ester of a lower aliphatic carboxylic acid having the formula  
         R 1 —COO—R 2    
       comprising reacting a lower alkyl ether having the formula  
         R 1 —O—R 2    
       in which R 1  and R 2  are independently C 1 -C 6  alkyl groups, providing that the total number of carbon atoms in groups R 1  and R 2  is from 2 to 12, or R 1  and R 2  together form a C 2 -C 6  alkylene group, with a carbon monoxide-containing feed in the presence of a catalyst comprising mordenite and/or ferrierite, under substantially anhydrous conditions.  
     
     
         2 . A process according to  claim 1  in which the ester is methyl acetate and the ether is dimethyl ether.  
     
     
         3 . A process according to  claim 1  in which the catalyst is H-mordenite.  
     
     
         4 . A process according to  claim 1  in which the temperature is from about 100° C. to about 250° C.  
     
     
         5 . A process according to  claim 1  in which the temperature is from about 150° C. to about 180° C.  
     
     
         6 . A process according to  claim 1  in which the catalyst comprises a fixed bed of catalyst.  
     
     
         7 . A process according to  claim 1  in which the catalyst comprises a fluidized bed of catalyst.  
     
     
         8 . A continuous process according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . A batch process according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         10 . A process according to  claim 1  in which the carbon monoxide-containing feed further comprises hydrogen.  
     
     
         11 . A process according to  claim 10  in which the carbon monoxide-containing feed comprises a synthesis gas.  
     
     
         12 . A process according to  claim 1  further comprising hydrolyzing the ester to produce the corresponding carboxylic acid.  
     
     
         13 . A process according to  claim 2  comprising further hydrolyzing the methyl acetate to produce acetic acid.  
     
     
         14 . A process according to  claim 12  or  13  in which the hydrolysis is conducted in a separate reactor from the ester-producing reaction.  
     
     
         15 . A process according to  claim 12  or  13  in which the hydrolysis is conducted in the same reactor as the ester-producing reaction.  
     
     
         16 . A process according to  claim 1  in which R 1  and R 2  are C 1 -C 6  alkyl groups.  
     
     
         17 . A process according to  claim 1  in which R 1  and R 2  are straight chain C 1 -C 6  alkyl groups.  
     
     
         18 . A process according to  claim 1  in which R 1  and R 2  are straight chain alkyl groups having from 1 to 3 carbons each.  
     
     
         19 . A process according to  claim 16  in which the alkyl groups contain a total of from 2 to 8 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         20 . A process according to  claim 19  in which the alkyl groups are straight-chain alkyl groups.  
     
     
         21 . A process according to  claim 16  in which the alkyl groups contain a total of from 2 to 6 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         22 . A process according to  claim 1  in which R 1  and R 2  together form a C 2 -C 6  alkylene group.  
     
     
         23 . A process according to  claim 1  in which R 1  and R 2  together form a straight-chain C 2 -C 6  alkylene group.  
     
     
         24 . A process according to  claim 1  in which R 1  and R 2  together form a C 2 -C 4  alkylene group.