A Synergistic Approach to the Development of Improves and Alternative Methods for the Synthesis and Processing of Sulfolanes

本研究的目的是制定一项总体战略 解决工业中的环境废物问题， 过程，包括过程设计和优化， 催化和替代化学的应用，还原 在有毒化学品的使用，回收和回收， 从源头上杜绝浪费。 PI计划应用流程 设计技术，更好地理解过程 化学，以及新开发的合成和催化 提高能源效率和成本的化学品 生产环丁砜（作为一种 （例如，在最小化浪费的同时）。 预期 好处包括：（1）发展替代 可用于以下目的的工艺、化学品和方法 解决环境和能源问题， 工业过程，以及（2）模型的开发， 在工艺设计中考虑环境成本， 优化和暴露化学家需要考虑 能源效率、副产品生产和废物产生 和处理的化学反应设计。 环丁砜是一种无色、水溶性、无毒、生物可降解的高分子化合物。 可降解的高极性化合物， 其卓越的热稳定性、化学稳定性 惰性和溶剂性质。 一千八百万到两千万 每年有10磅的环丁砜被消费， 应用包括芳烃的提取， 木材的脱木质化，从木材中除去酸性化合物， 天然气物流和用于聚合的溶液， 纤维纺丝、电镀浴和电池。 在 未来几年，监管变化和运动， “改善环境”的工业过程可能 使环丁砜市场增加50%或更多。 目前， 通过1，3-丁二烯与 二氧化硫生成3-环丁砜， 催化氢化生成环丁砜。 这些反应 在两个间歇式搅拌釜反应器中串联进行。 通过使水或蒸汽通过来维持反应温度 通过每个反应器周围的加热夹套。 第一步 在合成中需要过量的二氧化硫， 产生聚砜的副反应限制了工艺 产率，使氢化催化剂中毒，并产生废物 处置问题。 去除过量的二氧化硫， 抽空或吹扫反应器和氧化反应 其产生SOx副产物产生排放问题。 的 制定改进的和替代的方法， 环丁砜的合成和加工可以消除或 最大限度地减少这些环境问题， 效率，降低产品成本。 菲利普斯石油公司，一家 两个国内环丁砜生产商，将积极 参与了这个研究项目。

The purpose of this research is to develop a general strategy for attacking environmental waste problems in industrial processes, that include process design and optimization, application of catalytic and alternative chemistry, reduction in the use of toxic chemicals, recycling, and recovery to eliminate waste at its source. The PIs plan to apply process design techniques, an improved understanding of process chemistry, and newly developed synthetic and catalytic chemistries to improve the energy efficiency and cost effectiveness of the process to produce sulfolane (as an example process), while minimizing waste. The anticipated benefits include: (1) the development of alternative processes, chemistries, and approaches that could be used to attack environmental and energy problems associated with other industrial processes, and (2) the development of models for considering environmental costs in process design and optimization and exposing chemists to the need to consider energy efficiency, by-product production, and waste generation and disposal in the design of chemical reactions. Sulfolane a colorless, water soluble, non-toxic, bio- degradable, and highly polar compound, derives its market value from its exceptional thermal stability, chemical inertness, and solvent properties. Eighteen to twenty million pounds of sulfolane are consumed annually in a variety of applications including extraction of aromatic hydrocarbons, delignification of wood, removal of acidic compounds from natural gas streams, and solutions for polymerization and fibre spinning, electroplating baths, and batteries. In the next several years, regulatory changes and the movement to "environmentally improve" industrial processes could possibly increase the market for sulfolanes by 50% or more. Currently, sulfolane is produced via the reaction of 1,3-butadiene with sulfur dioxide to produce 3-sulfolene, which then undergoes catalytic hydrogenation to yield sulfolane. These reactions are carried out in series in two batch stirred tank reactors. Reaction temperatures are maintained by passing water or steam through heating jackets around each reactor. The first step in the synthesis requires excess sulfur dioxide and is plagued by polysulfone-producing side reactions that limit process yield, poison the hydrogenation catalyst, and present waste disposal problems. Removal of the excess sulfur dioxide by evacuating or purging the reactor and oxidation reactions which produce SOx by-products creates emission problems. The development of improved and alternative methods for the synthesis and processing of sulfolane could eliminate or minimize these environmental concerns, improve energy efficiency, and reduce product cost. Phillips Petroleum, one of the two domestic producers of sulfolane, will be actively involved in this research project.