Alkane oxidative dehydrogenation
View Patent ↗The invention relates to a process of the oxidative dehydrogenation of a C2-6 alkane, comprising subjecting a stream comprising methane and the C2-6 alkane, in which stream the volume ratio of methane to the C2-6 alkane is of from 0.005:1 to 100:1, to oxydehydrogenation conditions resulting in a stream comprising methane, a C2-6 alkene and optionally a C2-6 carboxylic acid.
1. A process of the oxidative dehydrogenation of a C2-6 alkane, comprising subjecting a stream comprising methane and the C2-6 alkane, in which stream the volume ratio of methane to the C2-6 alkane is from 0.005:1 to 100:1 to oxydehydrogenation conditions by contacting the stream with a mixed metal oxide catalyst containing molybdenum, vanadium, niobium, and optionally tellurium, resulting in a stream comprising methane, a C2-6 alkene and optionally a C2-6 carboxylic acid.
2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the volume ratio of methane to the C2-6 alkane is of from 0.005:1 to 4.8:1.
3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein C2-6 alkene is converted into another chemical product.
4. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the C2-6 alkane is ethane and the C2-6 alkene is ethylene, which ethylene is converted into ethylene oxide.
5. The process according to claim 4 , comprising
subjecting a stream comprising methane and ethane, in which stream the volume ratio of methane to ethane is of from 0.005:1 to 100:1 to oxydehydrogenation conditions resulting in a stream comprising methane, ethylene and optionally acetic acid;
subjecting ethylene and methane from the stream comprising methane, ethylene and optionally acetic acid to oxidation conditions resulting in a stream comprising ethylene oxide and methane; and
recovering ethylene oxide from the stream comprising ethylene oxide and methane.