Direct epoxidation catalyst and process
View Patent ↗A catalyst comprising a transition metal zeolite and a supported noble metal is disclosed. The mean mass diameter of the catalyst is greater than 0.5 mm. The catalyst is formed from transition metal zeolite particles and the supported noble metal particles each having a mean mass diameter of less than 0.1 mm. An epoxidation process by reacting an olefin, hydrogen, and oxygen in the presence of the catalyst is disclosed.
1. A catalyst comprising a transition metal zeolite and a supported noble metal, wherein the mean mass diameter of the catalyst is greater than 0.5 mm, and wherein the catalyst is formed from transition metal zeolite particles and the supported noble metal particles each having a mean mass diameter of less than 0.1 mm.
2. The catalyst of claim 1 wherein the transition metal zeolite particles and the supported noble metal particles each has a mean mass diameter of smaller than 0.05 mm.
3. The catalyst of claim 1 wherein the transition metal zeolite particles and the supported noble metal particles each has a mean mass diameter of smaller than 0.02 mm.
4. The catalyst of claim 1 wherein the transition metal zeolite is a titanium zeolite.
5. The catalyst of claim 1 wherein the transition metal zeolite is TS-1.
6. The catalyst of claim 1 wherein the noble metal is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, iridium, ruthenium, rhenium, rhodium, osmium, and mixtures thereof.
7. The catalyst of claim 1 wherein the noble metal is palladium, gold, or a palladium-gold mixture.
8. The catalyst of claim 1 wherein the noble metal is supported on a carrier selected from the group consisting of silicas, aluminas, titanias, and mixtures thereof.
9. The catalyst of claim 8 wherein the carrier is a titania.
10. An epoxidation process comprising reacting an olefin, hydrogen, and oxygen in the presence of the catalyst of claim 1 .
11. The process of claim 10 wherein the catalyst is in a fixed bed.
12. The process of claim 10 wherein the transition metal zeolite is TS-1.
13. The process of claim 10 wherein the noble metal is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, iridium, ruthenium, rhenium, rhodium, osmium, and mixtures thereof.
14. The process of claim 10 wherein the noble metal is palladium, gold, or a palladium-gold mixture.
15. The process of claim 10 wherein the noble metal is supported on a carrier selected from the group consisting of silicas, aluminas, titanias, and mixtures thereof.
16. The process of claim 15 wherein the carrier is a titania.
17. The process of claim 16 wherein the noble metal is a palladium-gold mixture.
18. The process of claim 10 performed in a solvent.
19. The process of claim 18 performed in the presence of a buffer.
20. The process of claim 10 wherein the olefin is propylene.