Zone reactor incorporating reversible hydrogen halide capture and release

Abstract

An improved process and a zone reactor for converting a hydrocarbon feedstock into higher hydrocarbons is provided. A first zone in the reactor contains both a material capable of releasing hydrogen halide (HX) and a carbon-carbon coupling catalyst; a second zone is initially empty or contains a halogenation and/or oxyhalogenation catalyst; and a third zone contains both a carbon-carbon coupling catalyst and a material capable of capturing HX. Air or oxygen is introduced into the first zone, a feedstock is introduced into the second zone, and products are produced in the third zone. HX produced during the reaction is reversibly captured and released in zones 1 and 3.

1 . A process for converting a hydrocarbon feedstock into higher hydrocarbons, comprising:
 forming a first stream of hydrogen halide by heating a material capable of releasing hydrogen halide in the presence of air or oxygen;   forming alkyl halides by reacting a hydrocarbon feedstock and the first stream of hydrogen halide in the presence of air or oxygen;   forming higher hydrocarbons and a second stream of hydrogen halide by reacting the alkyl halides in the presence of a carbon-carbon coupling catalyst; and   capturing the second stream of hydrogen halide by reacting it with a material capable of capturing hydrogen halide.   
     
     
         2 . A process as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising decoking the carbon-carbon coupling catalyst. 
     
     
         3 . A process as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the material capable of releasing hydrogen halide comprises partially halogenated olefins. 
     
     
         4 . A process as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the partially halogenated olefins have 10-100 carbon atoms per molecule. 
     
     
         5 . A process as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the partially halogenated olefins have 15-80 carbon atoms per molecule. 
     
     
         6 . A process as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the partially halogenated olefins have 20-50 carbon atoms per molecule. 
     
     
         7 . A process as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the partially halogenated olefins comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of partially halogenated 1-dodecene, partially halogenated 1,12-dodecadiene, partially halogenated 1-eicosane, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . A process as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the material capable of releasing hydrogen halide comprises partially halogenated organic polymers. 
     
     
         9 . A process as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the partially halogenated organic polymers comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of partially halogenated polyacetylene, partially halogenated polybutadiene, polyethylene that has been partially dehydrogenated and partially halogenated, polypropylene that has been partially dehydrogenated and partially halogenated, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . A process as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the material capable of capturing hydrogen halide comprises olefins that have 10-100 carbon atoms per molecule. 
     
     
         11 . A process as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the material capable of capturing hydrogen halide comprises olefins that have 15-80 carbon atoms per molecule. 
     
     
         12 . A process as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the material capable of capturing hydrogen halide comprises olefins that have 20-50 carbon atoms per molecule. 
     
     
         13 . A process as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the material capable of capturing hydrogen halide comprises unsaturated organic polymers. 
     
     
         14 . A process as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the unsaturated organic polymers comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of polyacetylene, polybutadiene, polyethylene that has been partially dehydrogenated, polypropylene that has been partially dehydrogenated, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . A process as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the carbon-carbon coupling catalyst comprises a microporous material. 
     
     
         16 . A process as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the microporous material comprise supported or unsupported zeolites. 
     
     
         17 . A process as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the zeolites comprise doped zeolites. 
     
     
         18 . A process as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the zeolites comprise ZSM-5-type zeolites. 
     
     
         19 . A process for converting a hydrocarbon feedstock into higher hydrocarbons, comprising:
 (a) forming hydrogen halide and a material capable of capturing hydrogen halide by heating a material capable of releasing hydrogen halide in the presence of air or oxygen;   (b) forming alkyl halides by reacting a hydrocarbon feedstock with the hydrogen halide formed in step (a) in the presence of air or oxygen;   (c) forming higher hydrocarbons and additional hydrogen halide by reacting the alkyl halides in the presence of a carbon-carbon coupling catalyst; and   (d) forming a material capable of releasing hydrogen halide by reactively capturing the hydrogen halide formed in step (c) with a material capable of capturing hydrogen halide.   
     
     
         20 . A process as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising coking and decoking the carbon-carbon coupling catalyst.