There is increased recognition by the world’s scientific, industrial, and political communities that the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earth’s
atmosphere, particularly CO_2, are increasing. For
example, recent studies of Antarctic ice cores to
depths of over 3600 m, spanning over 420 000 years,
indicate an 80 ppm increase in atmospheric CO_2 in
the past 200 years (with most of this increase
occurring in the past 50 years) compared to the
previous 80 ppm increase that required 10 000 years.2
The 160 nation Framework Convention for Climate
Change (FCCC) in Kyoto focused world attention on
possible links between CO2 and future climate change
and active discussion of these issues continues.3 In
the United States, the PCAST report4 “Federal
Energy Research and Development for the Challenges
of the Twenty First Century” focused attention
on the growing worldwide demand for energy and the
need to move away from current fossil fuel utilization.
According to the U.S. DOE Energy Information
Administration,5 carbon emission from the transportation
(air, ground, sea), industrial (heavy manufacturing,
agriculture, construction, mining, chemicals,
petroleum), buildings (internal heating, cooling, lighting),
and electrical (power generation) sectors of the
World economy amounted to ca. 1823 million metric
tons (MMT) in 1990, with an estimated increase to
2466 MMT in 2008-2012 (Table 1).

Catalysis Research of Relevance to Carbon Management: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities

Oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane and propane : How far from commercial implementation?

A cleaning composition comprising: a) about 0.1 % to about 99.9 % by weight of said composition of an alkylarylsulfonate surfactant system comprising from about 10 % to about 100 % by weight of said surfactant system of two or more crystallinity-disrupted alkylarylsulfonate surfactants of the formula: (B-Ar-D)a(Mq+)b (defined herein after); and b) from about 0.00001 % to about 99.9 % by weight of said composition of cleaning composition adjunct ingredients, at least one of which is selected from the group consisting of: i) detersive enzymes; ii) organic detergent builders; iii) oxygen bleaching agent; iv) bleach activators; v) transition metal bleach catalysts; vi) oxygen transfer agents and precursors; vii) polymeric soil release agents; viii) water-soluble ethoxylated amines having clay soil removal and antiredeposition properties; ix) polymeric dispersing agents; x) polymeric dye transfer inhibiting agents; xi) alkoxylated polycarboxylates; and xii) mixtures thereof.

Detergent compositions containing mixtures of crystallinity-disrupted surfactants

Cleaning compositions, especially laundry detergents and the like comprising: (i) modified alkylarylsulfonate surfactants, e.g., modified alkylbenzenesulfonates, which are the product of particular processes and (ii) cleaning adjuncts such as enzymes and bleaches. Processes for making the cleaning products, including processes comprising vinylidene olefin production, alkylation of arenes, sulfonation and domestic cleaning product formulation. VO production is used to introduce particular limited branching into an alpha-olefinic feedstock which, converted to dimer form, has from about 10 to about 16, preferably from about 12 to about 14 carbon atoms. Preferred processes maximize the amount of vinylidene olefin useful for detergent manufacture, and minimize deep internal olefin production. Further, an alkylation step, preferably having an internal isomer selectivity of from 0 to no more than about 40 is used, in which the VO monoalkylates arenes such as benzene, in presence of an alkylation catalyst preferably comprising an at least partially crystalline, porous zeolite-containing solid, the zeolite being at least partially acidic and having intermediate pore size. Preferred alkylation catalysts include at least partially dealuminized acidic mordenites.

Cleaning products comprising improved alkylarylsulfonate surfactants prepared via vinylidene olefins and processes for preparation thereof

Modified alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant mixtures comprise a mixture of specific branched and non-branched alkylbenzene sulfonate compounds, and are further characterised by a 2/3-phenyl index of 160-275. Detergent and cleaning products containing these mixtures are also claimed.

Laundry detergents comprising modified alkylbenzene sulfonates

A process and catalyst for the partial oxidation of paraffinic hydrocarbons, such as ethane, propane, naphtha, and natural gas condensates, to olefins, such as ethylene and propylene. The process involves contacting a paraffinic hydrocarbon with oxygen in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst under autothermal process conditions. Preheating the feed decreases oxygen consumption and increases the net hydrogen balance. The catalyst comprises a Group 8B metal, preferably, a platinum group metal, and at least one promoter selected from Groups 1B, 6B, 3A, 4A, and 5A, optionally supported on a catalytic support, such as magnesia or alumina. In preferred embodiments, the support is pretreated with a support modifier selected from Groups 1A, 2A, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 1B, 3A, 4A, 5A, the rare earth lanthanides, and the actinides. A modified fluidized bed reactor is disclosed for the process.

Autothermal process for the production of olefins

A potential new process to styrene monomer from n-butane consists of oxidation of n-butane to butadiene followed by dimerization of butadiene to 4-vinylcyclohexene (VCH) and oxydehydrogenation of VCH to styrene. In this paper we report a catalyst which provides 40%–50% conversion of n-butane at 80% selectivity to butadiene and the n-butenes when exposed to 5–10 s pulses of n-butane followed by air regeneration. The optimum catalyst consists of 15%–25% MoO 3 dispersed on MgO. The addition of small amounts of alkali metal compounds are used to minimize the production of carbon oxides. Characterization of these catalysts by laser Raman spectroscopy and XANES indicates that octahedral polymolybdates and micro crystals of MgMoO 4 are initially the major species at molybdenum loadings corresponding to maximum activity on fresh catalyst. Designed experiments have resulted in models predicting the relationship of selectivity and conversion for various process conditions.

Anaerobic oxidation of butane to butadiene over magnesium molybdate catalysts. II. Magnesia alumina supported catalysts

Olefins of two to four carbon atoms are pre-pared by an improved Fischer-Tropsch process, the improve-ment comprising the use of a catalyst having a surface area less than about 100 m2/g and consisting essentially of: (1) at least one material selected from the group consisting of the sulfide, oxide or metal of Mo, W, Re, Ru, Ni, Pd, Rh, Os, Ir and Pt; (2) at least one material selected from the group consisting of the hydroxide, oxide or salt of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and Th; and (3) optionally, a support.

Process for producing olefins from carbon monoxide and hydrogen

A process for forming an alcohol fraction boiling in the range of motor gasoline that is enriched in higher alcohols, comprises contacting a mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and a lower alkanol with a catalyst comprising: (1) a first component comprising molybdenum, tungsten or a mixture thereof in free or combined form; (2) a second component comprising an alkali or alkaline earth element or a mixture thereof in free or combined form; (3) an optional third component comprising cobalt, nickel or iron or a mixture thereof in free or combined form; and (4) an optional fourth component comprising a support, under conditions sufficient to convert at least some of the one or more lower alcohols to higher alcohols.

Preparation of ethanol and higher alcohols from lower carbon number alcohols

A method for controlling the ratio of methanol to higher alcohols produced in a process for making mixed alcohols by contacting a hydrogen- and carbon monoxide-containing feed with a molybdenum- or tungsten-containing catalyst, said method comprising adjusting a concentration of a sulfur releasing substance in the feed.

Craig B. Murchison

Papers

Autothermal process for the production of olefins

Anaerobic oxidation of butane to butadiene over magnesium molybdate catalysts. II. Magnesia alumina supported catalysts

Process for producing olefins from carbon monoxide and hydrogen

Preparation of ethanol and higher alcohols from lower carbon number alcohols

Method for adjusting methanol to higher alcohol ratios