Method for stabilizing a cation exchange resin prior to use as an acid catalst and use of said stabilized cation exchange resin in a chemical process

Abstract

A method for preventing the degradation of a catalyst during storage of the catalyst and prior to using the catalyst in a chemical process comprising treating the catalyst with an antioxidant and storing the treated catalyst until further use. The stabilized treated catalyst may be used in a process for producing organic chemicals such as in a process for producing bisphenol A.

1 . A process for preventing the degradation of a cation exchange resin catalyst during storage, handling, processing, and drying of the catalyst and prior to using the catalyst in a chemical process comprising treating the catalyst with an antioxidant prior to the use of such catalyst. 
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the antioxidant treatment comprises dissolving the antioxidant in the water retained in the catalyst prior to use. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the antioxidant treatment comprises partially neutralizing the acid functionality of the catalyst with the antioxidant. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the antioxidant treatment comprises copolymerizing a monomer with antioxidant properties with other monomers to form the cation resin copolymer. 
     
     
         5 . A process for producing a chemical product in a chemical process using a catalyst comprising:
 (a) providing a cation exchange resin catalyst with an antioxidant; and   (b) contacting the catalyst with reactants to produce the chemical product in such chemical process.   
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the catalyst is treated with an antioxidant by polymerizing the antioxidant into the polymer resin. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the cation exchange resin catalyzes the reaction between hydroxy-containing aromatic compounds and carbonyl-containing compounds to produce a bisphenol. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the cation exchange resin catalyzes the alkylation of a hydroxyl-containing aromatic compound. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  or  claim 5  including washing the treated catalyst with deionized water after the treatment step. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1  or  claim 5  wherein the ion-exchange resin catalyst is a sulfonic acid-type cation-exchange resin catalyst. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the resin catalyst is a sulfonated styrene-divinyl benzene copolymer. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1  or  claim 5  wherein the antioxidant is a monocyclic or polycyclic phenol, an amine, a diamine, a thioester, a phosphate, a quinoline, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1  or  claim 5  wherein the antioxidant is 2,6-di-t-butyl-α-dimethylamino-p-cresol. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 1  or  claim 5  wherein the amount of antioxidant incorporated into the catalyst resin is from 0.001 to 10 percent by weight. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 1  or  claim 5  wherein the resin is stable when stored for 3 months or more. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 1  or  claim 5  wherein the color increase of water when contacted with the catalyst is less than 500 APHA during a seven day accelerated aging test. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1  or  claim 5  wherein the increase in the TOC levels of water when contacted with the catalyst is less than 500 ppm during a seven day accelerated aging test. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 1  or  claim 5 , including preventing oxygen from contacting the catalyst during storage. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19  wherein oxygen is prevented from contacting the catalyst by storing the catalyst in the absence of oxygen by using oxygen barrier packaging, inert gas blanketing or vacuum packaging.