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Maleic anhydride production gets boost with new catalyst
F O C U S of uses. Production costs are low and the catalytic properties of the material are excellent.
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apparel, uniforms, sportswear, bedding linen, and carpets. Chemical Fibers International, Dec 2005, 55 (6), 344
China Chemical Reporter, 16 Nov 2005, 16 (32), 14
New dimethyl maleate synthesis Maleic anhydride production gets boost with new catalyst Switzerland-based Lonza AG has come up with a new generation of fluidized-bed catalyst at its R&D facility in Italy for its patented method of making maleic anhydride. The catalyst is based on traditional vanadium phosphorous oxide type catalysts. The company used new dopants to modify the catalysts, then synthesised these in a new organic solvent system. The new catalyst, called XP, is claimed to exhibit 4% greater selectivity than previous generation catalysts, while allowing a reduction in the operating temperature to about 410ºC. The use of the catalyst at Lonza’s Ravenna plant, in addition to debottlenecking efforts, has raised the plant’s yield from 50,000 tonne/y to 60,000 tonne/y. Chemical Engineering (New York), Nov 2005, 112 (12), 20 & Chemische Rundschau, 22 Nov 2005, (11), 58 (in German)
One-step phenol synthesis process produces 20% A high-yield (20%) direct synthesis of phenol by the catalytic oxidation of benzene has been jointly developed in Japan by Daicel Chemical Industries and a team from Kansai University’s Faculty of Engineering. The company plans to scale-up the process to full-scale production. The process uses a molybdovanadophosphoric acid catalyst, acetic acid, and water solvent, and overpressure of air and carbon monoxide. Japan Chemical Week, 8 Dec 2005, 46 (2346), 1
Japan Exlan: photo-catalytic acrylic yarn Japan Exlan Co Ltd, an acrylic fibre manufacturer, has come up with photo-catalytic spun acrylic yarn. It intends to produce 300 tonnes in fiscal year 2006 and 1000 tonnes in fiscal year 2008. The company has filed applications for five patents. Primary applications include fashion
6
Fushun Research Institute of Petroleum and Petrochemicals has successfully developed a new dimethyl maleate (DMM) synthetic process utilising maleic anhydride and methanol in the presence of solid acid catalyst. The yield is over 98.6% DMM. Copolymers of DMM with other materials can be made into various coatings, adhesives, photosensitive materials, and anti-shrinkage finishing agents. The new process route is much simpler than the existing process. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Dec 2005, 16 (35), 14
New metallocene catalysts from Novolen Novolen Technology Holdings CV has come up with a new series of highperformance metallocene catalysts for use in making a wide range of homopolymer and copolymer products. The technologies can now be licensed. Borealis has been granted the rights to utilise Novolen’s metallocene singlesite polymerisation catalyst technology for formulation of new polypropylene solutions. Both companies have agreed to further develop metallocene singlesite polymerisation catalysts. Chemical Engineering Progress, Dec 2005, 101 (12), 15
and hardness combined with transparency, while saving material and energy. The new process has been tested at Borealis’ plant in Borga, Finland, and Stenungsund, Sweden, and has also been installed at the new plant at Schwechat, Austria, which will produce 350,000 tonne/y PE. Kemivarlden, Dec 2005, (12), 6 (in Swedish)
Biocatalytic route to “sweet silicones” Research done by Dow Corning and Polytechnic University researchers revealed that enzyme catalysis may eliminate the uncontrolled side reactions and poor regioselectivity that hinder the ability to control the structure of the resulting organosilicon-sugar conjugates (OSC). OSC or “sweet silicones” may be used as surfactants, adhesion promoters, and chiral templates. Their synthesis usually needs an acid or base catalyst, protection-deprotection steps, and activation of carboxylic acid terminal groups on the siloxane starting material. However, the structure of the final compounds may be affected by uncontrolled side reactions and poor regioselectivity. The researchers’ hypothesis were tested by utilising Candida antarctica lipase B immobilised on acrylic beads (Novozyme 435) to catalyze esterification of dimethyl siloxane oligomers having carboxylic acid end groups with ethyl glucoside. Chemical Engineering Progress, Dec 2005, 101 (12), 12
New polyethylene production technology from Borealis Borealis has developed a new technology, Borstar 2G, for making multimodal polyethylene. This consists of both short plastic molecules, which give good processability, and long molecules, which confer strength, combined in a polymer particle. A new type of Ziegler-Natta catalyst plus process modifications allow the combination of plastics of different molecular weights which can be optimized in respect of mechanical and optical properties and processability in customers’ machines. This can, for example, enable the production of packaging film which is 25% thinner, thus allowing the manufacture of industrial bags, which require greater stiffness
ADM to open interesterification unit Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) plans to begin production at a new enzymatic interesterification plant at Mankato, MI, US before the end of 2005 to meet rising demand following legislation requiring trans fats to be labelled in the US from Jan 2006. ADM currently produces 6000 tonne/y low-trans interesterified oil products at Quincy, IL, US. Oils and Fats International, Jan 2006, 22 (1), 2
New enzymatic deodorisation process A new enzyme-based deodorization process has been developed by Pronova Biocare (Norway) for its EPAX omega-3 concentrates. The
FEBRUARY 2006
O N
C ATA LY S T S
apparel, uniforms, sportswear, bedding linen, and carpets. Chemical Fibers International, Dec 2005, 55 (6), 344
China Chemical Reporter, 16 Nov 2005, 16 (32), 14
New dimethyl maleate synthesis Maleic anhydride production gets boost with new catalyst Switzerland-based Lonza AG has come up with a new generation of fluidized-bed catalyst at its R&D facility in Italy for its patented method of making maleic anhydride. The catalyst is based on traditional vanadium phosphorous oxide type catalysts. The company used new dopants to modify the catalysts, then synthesised these in a new organic solvent system. The new catalyst, called XP, is claimed to exhibit 4% greater selectivity than previous generation catalysts, while allowing a reduction in the operating temperature to about 410ºC. The use of the catalyst at Lonza’s Ravenna plant, in addition to debottlenecking efforts, has raised the plant’s yield from 50,000 tonne/y to 60,000 tonne/y. Chemical Engineering (New York), Nov 2005, 112 (12), 20 & Chemische Rundschau, 22 Nov 2005, (11), 58 (in German)
One-step phenol synthesis process produces 20% A high-yield (20%) direct synthesis of phenol by the catalytic oxidation of benzene has been jointly developed in Japan by Daicel Chemical Industries and a team from Kansai University’s Faculty of Engineering. The company plans to scale-up the process to full-scale production. The process uses a molybdovanadophosphoric acid catalyst, acetic acid, and water solvent, and overpressure of air and carbon monoxide. Japan Chemical Week, 8 Dec 2005, 46 (2346), 1
Japan Exlan: photo-catalytic acrylic yarn Japan Exlan Co Ltd, an acrylic fibre manufacturer, has come up with photo-catalytic spun acrylic yarn. It intends to produce 300 tonnes in fiscal year 2006 and 1000 tonnes in fiscal year 2008. The company has filed applications for five patents. Primary applications include fashion
6
Fushun Research Institute of Petroleum and Petrochemicals has successfully developed a new dimethyl maleate (DMM) synthetic process utilising maleic anhydride and methanol in the presence of solid acid catalyst. The yield is over 98.6% DMM. Copolymers of DMM with other materials can be made into various coatings, adhesives, photosensitive materials, and anti-shrinkage finishing agents. The new process route is much simpler than the existing process. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Dec 2005, 16 (35), 14
New metallocene catalysts from Novolen Novolen Technology Holdings CV has come up with a new series of highperformance metallocene catalysts for use in making a wide range of homopolymer and copolymer products. The technologies can now be licensed. Borealis has been granted the rights to utilise Novolen’s metallocene singlesite polymerisation catalyst technology for formulation of new polypropylene solutions. Both companies have agreed to further develop metallocene singlesite polymerisation catalysts. Chemical Engineering Progress, Dec 2005, 101 (12), 15
and hardness combined with transparency, while saving material and energy. The new process has been tested at Borealis’ plant in Borga, Finland, and Stenungsund, Sweden, and has also been installed at the new plant at Schwechat, Austria, which will produce 350,000 tonne/y PE. Kemivarlden, Dec 2005, (12), 6 (in Swedish)
Biocatalytic route to “sweet silicones” Research done by Dow Corning and Polytechnic University researchers revealed that enzyme catalysis may eliminate the uncontrolled side reactions and poor regioselectivity that hinder the ability to control the structure of the resulting organosilicon-sugar conjugates (OSC). OSC or “sweet silicones” may be used as surfactants, adhesion promoters, and chiral templates. Their synthesis usually needs an acid or base catalyst, protection-deprotection steps, and activation of carboxylic acid terminal groups on the siloxane starting material. However, the structure of the final compounds may be affected by uncontrolled side reactions and poor regioselectivity. The researchers’ hypothesis were tested by utilising Candida antarctica lipase B immobilised on acrylic beads (Novozyme 435) to catalyze esterification of dimethyl siloxane oligomers having carboxylic acid end groups with ethyl glucoside. Chemical Engineering Progress, Dec 2005, 101 (12), 12
New polyethylene production technology from Borealis Borealis has developed a new technology, Borstar 2G, for making multimodal polyethylene. This consists of both short plastic molecules, which give good processability, and long molecules, which confer strength, combined in a polymer particle. A new type of Ziegler-Natta catalyst plus process modifications allow the combination of plastics of different molecular weights which can be optimized in respect of mechanical and optical properties and processability in customers’ machines. This can, for example, enable the production of packaging film which is 25% thinner, thus allowing the manufacture of industrial bags, which require greater stiffness
ADM to open interesterification unit Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) plans to begin production at a new enzymatic interesterification plant at Mankato, MI, US before the end of 2005 to meet rising demand following legislation requiring trans fats to be labelled in the US from Jan 2006. ADM currently produces 6000 tonne/y low-trans interesterified oil products at Quincy, IL, US. Oils and Fats International, Jan 2006, 22 (1), 2
New enzymatic deodorisation process A new enzyme-based deodorization process has been developed by Pronova Biocare (Norway) for its EPAX omega-3 concentrates. The
FEBRUARY 2006