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A cheaper methanol carbonylation catalyst
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Degussa AG, Abteilung Oeffentlichkeitsarbeid, Postfach 11 05 33, 6000 Frankfurt 11, F.R.G. A Cheaper Methanol Carbonylation Catalyst
chess-board. The diesel exhaust entering at the front can only leave by passing through the walls of the porous ceramic. The soot particles are trapped (up to 90% efficiency), the rate of filtration and the pressure drop being determined by the physical characteristics of the ceramic and the cell geometry. soot particles accumulating in the channels must be removed to prevent blocking of the filter. This is best done by raising the temperature of the engine's exhaust to a level at which the soot is burnt when oxygen is present. Degussa claim to have developed a catalytic coating for the filter which lowers the combustion temperature by approximately 80°C. With the new decisions of the European Community concerning automobile exhaust emissions, the Federal German Government are introducing tax concessions for low-emission cars. Such vehicles with exhaust catalysts are now being offered by the German automobile industry and the oil companies are playing a part by rapidly offering unleaded fuels on a widespread scale. At the same motor show, Degussa provided visitors with a full survey of its catalyst technology. Degussa, which is currently expanding catalyst its production capacity at its Rheinfelden (Baden), its testing and research facilities at Hanau-Wolfgang, and its Canadian production plant at Burlington, Ontario (they also have production facilities at Calvert City, Kentucky, U.S.A.), offer a poster (in German) which illustrates the construction of a typical automobile catalytic exhaust chamber. Copies of this may be obtained by writing to
mm-m-
Volume 19 No. 1 - November 1985
What is claimed to be a cheaper methanol carbonylation catalyst is described by BASF in West German Patent 32 23 654. Acetic acid and methyl acetate are claimed to be produced by the gas-phase carbonlation of methanol using a nickelpalladium catalyst supported on activated carbon, methyl iodide being used as the preferred promoter. The presence of palladium in the catalyst is said to suppress the formation of Ni(C0) and that this prolongs the life 04 the catalyst. (Source: Catalytica Highlights, 11 (1985) No.2.)
Laboratory Changes Its Name It has recently been announced that the laboratory of Professor Michel Che and his group has been renamed "Laboratoire de Reactivite de Surface et Structure, UA 1106 MRS. The address, which is unchanged, is 4, place Jussieu, Tour 55-54, 2e etage, 75230 Paris Cedex 05, France,
Conversion of Toluene to Benzonitrile According to Japanese Patents 60028938 and 60028939 (1985) summarised in Catalytica Highlights ((1985) No. a), Sumito Chemical have found that it is possible to convert toluene directly to benzonitrile in one step: C6H5CH3 + NO -) C6H5y Toluene and nitric oxide are reacted in the gas-phase at 350° to 6OO'C over catalysts comprising of solid or supported zinc oxide, alumina or aluminasupported alkali-metal oxide. Other substrates for which this technique is said to be applicable include ringmethylated heteroaromatics or compounds having a methyl group attached to a C=C linkage. The reaction stoichiometry is not clear.
Degussa AG, Abteilung Oeffentlichkeitsarbeid, Postfach 11 05 33, 6000 Frankfurt 11, F.R.G. A Cheaper Methanol Carbonylation Catalyst
chess-board. The diesel exhaust entering at the front can only leave by passing through the walls of the porous ceramic. The soot particles are trapped (up to 90% efficiency), the rate of filtration and the pressure drop being determined by the physical characteristics of the ceramic and the cell geometry. soot particles accumulating in the channels must be removed to prevent blocking of the filter. This is best done by raising the temperature of the engine's exhaust to a level at which the soot is burnt when oxygen is present. Degussa claim to have developed a catalytic coating for the filter which lowers the combustion temperature by approximately 80°C. With the new decisions of the European Community concerning automobile exhaust emissions, the Federal German Government are introducing tax concessions for low-emission cars. Such vehicles with exhaust catalysts are now being offered by the German automobile industry and the oil companies are playing a part by rapidly offering unleaded fuels on a widespread scale. At the same motor show, Degussa provided visitors with a full survey of its catalyst technology. Degussa, which is currently expanding catalyst its production capacity at its Rheinfelden (Baden), its testing and research facilities at Hanau-Wolfgang, and its Canadian production plant at Burlington, Ontario (they also have production facilities at Calvert City, Kentucky, U.S.A.), offer a poster (in German) which illustrates the construction of a typical automobile catalytic exhaust chamber. Copies of this may be obtained by writing to
mm-m-
Volume 19 No. 1 - November 1985
What is claimed to be a cheaper methanol carbonylation catalyst is described by BASF in West German Patent 32 23 654. Acetic acid and methyl acetate are claimed to be produced by the gas-phase carbonlation of methanol using a nickelpalladium catalyst supported on activated carbon, methyl iodide being used as the preferred promoter. The presence of palladium in the catalyst is said to suppress the formation of Ni(C0) and that this prolongs the life 04 the catalyst. (Source: Catalytica Highlights, 11 (1985) No.2.)
Laboratory Changes Its Name It has recently been announced that the laboratory of Professor Michel Che and his group has been renamed "Laboratoire de Reactivite de Surface et Structure, UA 1106 MRS. The address, which is unchanged, is 4, place Jussieu, Tour 55-54, 2e etage, 75230 Paris Cedex 05, France,
Conversion of Toluene to Benzonitrile According to Japanese Patents 60028938 and 60028939 (1985) summarised in Catalytica Highlights ((1985) No. a), Sumito Chemical have found that it is possible to convert toluene directly to benzonitrile in one step: C6H5CH3 + NO -) C6H5y Toluene and nitric oxide are reacted in the gas-phase at 350° to 6OO'C over catalysts comprising of solid or supported zinc oxide, alumina or aluminasupported alkali-metal oxide. Other substrates for which this technique is said to be applicable include ringmethylated heteroaromatics or compounds having a methyl group attached to a C=C linkage. The reaction stoichiometry is not clear.