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Electronic carbon dioxide conversion
F O C U S Japan Polypropylene starting R&D for metallocene copolymers Japan Polypropylene will conduct development of new highly functional metallocene-catalyzed copolymer products at a new pilot plant slated to be built in Apr 2010 at the company’s Yokkaichi works. Japan Polypropylene aims to increase the share of speciality products in its total product slate from around 30%, at present, to 50% or more in several years. The company aims to develop polypropylene that will be on an entirely different level from competing products, said Japan Polypropylene’s R&D director and general manager. The company is already commercializing its proprietary metallocene-catalyzed polypropylene Wintec, the first of its kind to be mass-produced. The firm is stepping up development of high performance products in response to the upcoming upsurge in capacity that is expected to significantly affect markets for homopolymers and other general-purpose products in Asia, including Japan. Japan Chemical Web, 8 Jan 2010 (Website: http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)
ENVIRONMENT Polycarbonates made from CO2 Novomer has developed a catalyst for the reaction of CO2 with propylene oxide to produce polyols which can be converted to polycarbonates. They are collaborating with DSM NeoResins in making the resins. Larger customers will be sampled with them later this year; the potential market is several thousand tonnes per year. Chemistry and Industry, 22 Feb 2010, (4), 7
Good use for carbon dioxide Although the reaction of carbon dioxide in air with copper is not enough to clear all the excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, it does offer an alternative source of raw materials for making chemical products. Previous attempts to exploit this reaction failed because of the enormous amount of energy needed to concentrate atmospheric carbon dioxide. The new catalyst, from the
MARCH 2010
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C ATA LY S T S
University of Leiden in The Netherlands, uses only a modest amount of energy. It binds with carbon dioxide and reduces it directly, binding with 2 carbon dioxide molecules to form oxalate. Then it is put into contact with a lithium salt, generating lithium oxalate. By applying a weak electrical current to the copper, researchers reduced it to its initial state, allowing the copper to bind with more carbon dioxide. The new catalyst is still far from being ready for the market because its reaction time is too slow. Each cycle currently takes an hour. Furthermore, even if the process was made faster, demand for the resulting chemicals would still not be high enough to make a significant impact on atmospheric carbon dioxide. Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 1 Feb 2010, (495) (Website: http://www.france-chimie.com) (in French)
Electronic carbon dioxide conversion Cateletric (a company based in Connecticut) has developed a new system (Decan) which is able to convert carbon dioxide into useful products. The company’s electronic catalysis control system has already proved its efficacy in various chemical reactions. The system operates on gas or liquid reagents and uses a very small quantity of electrical energy. The system is used in chemicals production, hydrogen reforming, and pharmaceuticals/fine chemical production. 1000+ products have already been synthesized. Because significant quantities of molecular oxygen are also produced, the system could be considered a type of industrial scale photosynthesis. Catelectric is currently concentrating on a project to convert carbon dioxide and water into fuel. Chimie Pharma Hobo, 1 Feb 2010, (495) (Website: http://www.france-chimie.com) (in French)
PATENTS Alkylation using solid acid catalysts Linear alkyl benzenes are made by alkylating benzene with a hydrocarbon, or a hydrocarbon mixture, using an acid catalyst. Solid catalysts are preferred over the hazardous liquid acid catalysts. In this case, the
catalyst is a mixture of a small crystalsize faujasite zeolite with a nonfaujasitic zeolite. Reduced energy costs and improved selectivity are claimed. US 7,655,824, UOP LLC, Des Plaines, IL, USA, 2 Feb 2010
Catalyst for making hydrogen from methanol The purpose is to make hydrogen for use in fuel cells for vehicles and electronic devices. The process involves a combination of partial oxidation and steam reforming. The catalyst is copper/zinc alloy promoted by zirconium (or cerium) and palladium. US 7,659,227, University of Notre Dame du Lac, Notre Dame, IN, USA, 9 Feb 2010
Catalyst for making mixed ketones from mixtures of acids A mixed ketone is one having the formula R-CO-R’ where R and R’ are different. Such compounds are made catalytically from mixtures of carboxylic acids. The catalyst is zirconia (or a mixture of zirconia with titania) plus a silicate or phosphate. In one example, methyl isopropyl ketone is made from acetic and isobutyric acids. US 7,659,432, Eastman Chemical Co, Kingsport, TN, USA, 9 Feb 2010
Computer program for epoxidation There are many patents describing epoxidation processes, but this patent is unusual in protecting not the process but a computer program for controlling such a process. The reactants are an olefin, oxygen, and an organic halide, over a heterogeneous silver catalyst. The computer controls the reaction conditions such that the temperature is raised as the catalyst loses activity by ageing. US 7,657,332. Shell Oil Co, Houston, TX, USA, 2 Feb 2010
Selective isomerisation of olefins using a mesoporous catalyst Terminal alkenes (normal alpha olefins) are converted to 2-alkenes
7
ENVIRONMENT Polycarbonates made from CO2 Novomer has developed a catalyst for the reaction of CO2 with propylene oxide to produce polyols which can be converted to polycarbonates. They are collaborating with DSM NeoResins in making the resins. Larger customers will be sampled with them later this year; the potential market is several thousand tonnes per year. Chemistry and Industry, 22 Feb 2010, (4), 7
Good use for carbon dioxide Although the reaction of carbon dioxide in air with copper is not enough to clear all the excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, it does offer an alternative source of raw materials for making chemical products. Previous attempts to exploit this reaction failed because of the enormous amount of energy needed to concentrate atmospheric carbon dioxide. The new catalyst, from the
MARCH 2010
O N
C ATA LY S T S
University of Leiden in The Netherlands, uses only a modest amount of energy. It binds with carbon dioxide and reduces it directly, binding with 2 carbon dioxide molecules to form oxalate. Then it is put into contact with a lithium salt, generating lithium oxalate. By applying a weak electrical current to the copper, researchers reduced it to its initial state, allowing the copper to bind with more carbon dioxide. The new catalyst is still far from being ready for the market because its reaction time is too slow. Each cycle currently takes an hour. Furthermore, even if the process was made faster, demand for the resulting chemicals would still not be high enough to make a significant impact on atmospheric carbon dioxide. Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 1 Feb 2010, (495) (Website: http://www.france-chimie.com) (in French)
Electronic carbon dioxide conversion Cateletric (a company based in Connecticut) has developed a new system (Decan) which is able to convert carbon dioxide into useful products. The company’s electronic catalysis control system has already proved its efficacy in various chemical reactions. The system operates on gas or liquid reagents and uses a very small quantity of electrical energy. The system is used in chemicals production, hydrogen reforming, and pharmaceuticals/fine chemical production. 1000+ products have already been synthesized. Because significant quantities of molecular oxygen are also produced, the system could be considered a type of industrial scale photosynthesis. Catelectric is currently concentrating on a project to convert carbon dioxide and water into fuel. Chimie Pharma Hobo, 1 Feb 2010, (495) (Website: http://www.france-chimie.com) (in French)
PATENTS Alkylation using solid acid catalysts Linear alkyl benzenes are made by alkylating benzene with a hydrocarbon, or a hydrocarbon mixture, using an acid catalyst. Solid catalysts are preferred over the hazardous liquid acid catalysts. In this case, the
catalyst is a mixture of a small crystalsize faujasite zeolite with a nonfaujasitic zeolite. Reduced energy costs and improved selectivity are claimed. US 7,655,824, UOP LLC, Des Plaines, IL, USA, 2 Feb 2010
Catalyst for making hydrogen from methanol The purpose is to make hydrogen for use in fuel cells for vehicles and electronic devices. The process involves a combination of partial oxidation and steam reforming. The catalyst is copper/zinc alloy promoted by zirconium (or cerium) and palladium. US 7,659,227, University of Notre Dame du Lac, Notre Dame, IN, USA, 9 Feb 2010
Catalyst for making mixed ketones from mixtures of acids A mixed ketone is one having the formula R-CO-R’ where R and R’ are different. Such compounds are made catalytically from mixtures of carboxylic acids. The catalyst is zirconia (or a mixture of zirconia with titania) plus a silicate or phosphate. In one example, methyl isopropyl ketone is made from acetic and isobutyric acids. US 7,659,432, Eastman Chemical Co, Kingsport, TN, USA, 9 Feb 2010
Computer program for epoxidation There are many patents describing epoxidation processes, but this patent is unusual in protecting not the process but a computer program for controlling such a process. The reactants are an olefin, oxygen, and an organic halide, over a heterogeneous silver catalyst. The computer controls the reaction conditions such that the temperature is raised as the catalyst loses activity by ageing. US 7,657,332. Shell Oil Co, Houston, TX, USA, 2 Feb 2010
Selective isomerisation of olefins using a mesoporous catalyst Terminal alkenes (normal alpha olefins) are converted to 2-alkenes
7