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A one-step route to phenol
Cat602
24/5/02 10:06 am
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self-cleaning photocatalyst colour coating material called Water-based Hydrotect Color Coat Eco. The product is available in about 200 colours. Brief technical details are given.
containing a proprietary catalyst. An inert gas also facilitates dilution. Laboratory tests reveal a 90% propane conversion with a 70% selectivity for acrylonitrile.
Japan Chemical Week, 11 Apr 2002, 43 (2167), 10
Chemical Engineering (New York), Apr 2002, 109 (4), 17
A greener route to catalyst supports HTE AG of Germany is developing a new process for producing zeolites and other micro- and meso-porous materials having shape structures with well-defined porosity. The shaping process, called biotemplating, produces the catalyst supports at conditions significantly milder than those in other processes. Biotemplating utilizes microorganisms to shape templates for calcining at lower temperatures. In conventional mechanical processes, pores are introduced to zeolite or ceramic powders by adding a combustible compound, which is then burned out at temperatures over 800°C. With HTE’s proposed process, calcination is conducted at temperatures of 200-500°C. Chemical Engineering (New York), Apr 2002, 109 (4), 21
TEC develops residual oil low-pressure hydrocracking method Toyo Engineering Corp’s (TEC) new technology is based on a newlydeveloped catalyst which can remove heavy metals such as nickel and palladium from residual oil. Testing of the method, which is expected to cut hydrocracking plant costs by nearly 10%, is nearing completion at the firm’s pilot plant in Mexico, and TEC expects to begin seeking orders in fiscal 2003.
Chemical Engineering (New York), Mar 2002, 109 (3), 17
A one-step route to phenol The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST) of Japan has developed a process for making phenol. The process uses a palladium membrane catalyst coated on the external layer of an alumina tube by chemical vapour deposition. The membrane catalyst was developed in cooperation with NOK Corp and Maruzen Petrochemical Co. Chemical Engineering (New York), Mar 2002, 109 (3), 15
Synetix licenses JAFAPhos Synetix has established an exclusive licence agreement with Aventis Pharma, Germany, for the Jendralla Aventis ferrocenyl phosphine ligand (JAFAPhos), named after its inventor J H Jendraller. This enantioselective ligand was developed at Hoechst. It is used mainly in rhodium and ruthenium catalysed hydrogenations. Other applications include asymmetric allylic alkylations, Grignard cross-couplings, and aldol reactions. The company intends to develop a better method for making the ligand and then use it for its customers in the pharmaceutical and fine chemicals industries. The ligand may also be immobilised to a surface. European Chemical News, 29 Apr 2002, 76 (2003), 26
Water is the only byproduct from this caprolactam process Asahi Kasei Corp of Japan is developing a method to convert propane into acrylonitrile. The process being developed has the potential to generate significant savings as propane is cheaper than propylene, currently the key feedstock in making acrylonitrile. Patents describe the reaction of oxygen, ammonia and propane in a tubular reactor
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Mitsui Chemicals develops highly elastic PU Mitsui Chemicals Inc has used an independently developed catalyst to synthesize a new, highly elastic and resilient polyol urethane material, which the firm hopes to start massproducing in 2003. Production will be handled by Mitsui Chemicals’ subsidiary Mitsui Takeda Chemicals Ltd, which produces some 135,000 tonne/y of urethane raw material, giving it 39% of the domestic market. In fiscal 2003 sales of the material are expected to be Yen 1.6 bn, and the sales target for fiscal 2006 will be Yen 2.4 bn. Nikkei Net, 12 Apr 2002 (Website: http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/)
Successful pilot test of hydrogenated NBR Gansu Science and Technology Office has recently approved the pilot test of hydrogenated NBR undertaken by Lanzhou Petrochemical Co Ltd’s Research Institute of Petrochemical Industry. A 90% yield rate for rhodium catalyst was achieved, with a 98% solvent recovery rate. The process does not produce any industrial waste water, and waste gas emissions are within national emission standards. China Chemical Reporter, 26 Mar 2002, 13 (9), 22
Nikkei Net, 17 Apr 2002 (Website: http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/)
Acrylonitrile from propane?
caprolactam production process in tandem with a new process, which it licensed from EniChem SpA of Milan. EniChem’s process produces cyclohexanone oxime from cyclohexanone without producing ammonium sulfate.
Sumitomo Chemical Co of Osaka, Japan, is commercialising a caprolactam production process. The process produces caprolactam derived from cyclohexanone oxime without the ammonium sulfate byproduct. The process utilises a proprietary high-silica zeolite catalyst. The firm is completing the construction of a 60,000 tonne/y caprolactam plant that will use its
Dow launches new Z-N catalyst for PE Dow has developed SHAC 330, a new Ziegler-Natta catalyst for the production of Imppax impact copolymer grades of polypropylene. It has also launched new process control software for PP production. This is the company’s first new catalyst launch since the merger of Dow and Union Carbide. Chemical Market Reporter, 25 Mar 2002 (Website: http://www.chemexpo.com/cmronline)
JUNE 2002
24/5/02 10:06 am
Page 6
(Black plate)
F O C U S
O N
C ATA LY S T S
self-cleaning photocatalyst colour coating material called Water-based Hydrotect Color Coat Eco. The product is available in about 200 colours. Brief technical details are given.
containing a proprietary catalyst. An inert gas also facilitates dilution. Laboratory tests reveal a 90% propane conversion with a 70% selectivity for acrylonitrile.
Japan Chemical Week, 11 Apr 2002, 43 (2167), 10
Chemical Engineering (New York), Apr 2002, 109 (4), 17
A greener route to catalyst supports HTE AG of Germany is developing a new process for producing zeolites and other micro- and meso-porous materials having shape structures with well-defined porosity. The shaping process, called biotemplating, produces the catalyst supports at conditions significantly milder than those in other processes. Biotemplating utilizes microorganisms to shape templates for calcining at lower temperatures. In conventional mechanical processes, pores are introduced to zeolite or ceramic powders by adding a combustible compound, which is then burned out at temperatures over 800°C. With HTE’s proposed process, calcination is conducted at temperatures of 200-500°C. Chemical Engineering (New York), Apr 2002, 109 (4), 21
TEC develops residual oil low-pressure hydrocracking method Toyo Engineering Corp’s (TEC) new technology is based on a newlydeveloped catalyst which can remove heavy metals such as nickel and palladium from residual oil. Testing of the method, which is expected to cut hydrocracking plant costs by nearly 10%, is nearing completion at the firm’s pilot plant in Mexico, and TEC expects to begin seeking orders in fiscal 2003.
Chemical Engineering (New York), Mar 2002, 109 (3), 17
A one-step route to phenol The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST) of Japan has developed a process for making phenol. The process uses a palladium membrane catalyst coated on the external layer of an alumina tube by chemical vapour deposition. The membrane catalyst was developed in cooperation with NOK Corp and Maruzen Petrochemical Co. Chemical Engineering (New York), Mar 2002, 109 (3), 15
Synetix licenses JAFAPhos Synetix has established an exclusive licence agreement with Aventis Pharma, Germany, for the Jendralla Aventis ferrocenyl phosphine ligand (JAFAPhos), named after its inventor J H Jendraller. This enantioselective ligand was developed at Hoechst. It is used mainly in rhodium and ruthenium catalysed hydrogenations. Other applications include asymmetric allylic alkylations, Grignard cross-couplings, and aldol reactions. The company intends to develop a better method for making the ligand and then use it for its customers in the pharmaceutical and fine chemicals industries. The ligand may also be immobilised to a surface. European Chemical News, 29 Apr 2002, 76 (2003), 26
Water is the only byproduct from this caprolactam process Asahi Kasei Corp of Japan is developing a method to convert propane into acrylonitrile. The process being developed has the potential to generate significant savings as propane is cheaper than propylene, currently the key feedstock in making acrylonitrile. Patents describe the reaction of oxygen, ammonia and propane in a tubular reactor
6
Mitsui Chemicals develops highly elastic PU Mitsui Chemicals Inc has used an independently developed catalyst to synthesize a new, highly elastic and resilient polyol urethane material, which the firm hopes to start massproducing in 2003. Production will be handled by Mitsui Chemicals’ subsidiary Mitsui Takeda Chemicals Ltd, which produces some 135,000 tonne/y of urethane raw material, giving it 39% of the domestic market. In fiscal 2003 sales of the material are expected to be Yen 1.6 bn, and the sales target for fiscal 2006 will be Yen 2.4 bn. Nikkei Net, 12 Apr 2002 (Website: http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/)
Successful pilot test of hydrogenated NBR Gansu Science and Technology Office has recently approved the pilot test of hydrogenated NBR undertaken by Lanzhou Petrochemical Co Ltd’s Research Institute of Petrochemical Industry. A 90% yield rate for rhodium catalyst was achieved, with a 98% solvent recovery rate. The process does not produce any industrial waste water, and waste gas emissions are within national emission standards. China Chemical Reporter, 26 Mar 2002, 13 (9), 22
Nikkei Net, 17 Apr 2002 (Website: http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/)
Acrylonitrile from propane?
caprolactam production process in tandem with a new process, which it licensed from EniChem SpA of Milan. EniChem’s process produces cyclohexanone oxime from cyclohexanone without producing ammonium sulfate.
Sumitomo Chemical Co of Osaka, Japan, is commercialising a caprolactam production process. The process produces caprolactam derived from cyclohexanone oxime without the ammonium sulfate byproduct. The process utilises a proprietary high-silica zeolite catalyst. The firm is completing the construction of a 60,000 tonne/y caprolactam plant that will use its
Dow launches new Z-N catalyst for PE Dow has developed SHAC 330, a new Ziegler-Natta catalyst for the production of Imppax impact copolymer grades of polypropylene. It has also launched new process control software for PP production. This is the company’s first new catalyst launch since the merger of Dow and Union Carbide. Chemical Market Reporter, 25 Mar 2002 (Website: http://www.chemexpo.com/cmronline)
JUNE 2002