Claims
- 1. A process for converting propylene to isopropyl alcohol which comprises contacting water with a feed comprising propylene at water:propylene mole ratio of at least about 0.5:1 under propylene hydration conditions in the presence of a hydration catalyst comprising an acidic zeolite having pore openings defined by: (1) a ratio of sorption of n-hexane to o-xylene, on a volume percent basis, of greater than about 3, which sorption is determined at a P/P.sub.o of 0.1 and at a temperature of 50.degree. C. for n-hexane and 80.degree. C. for o-xylene and (2) by the ability of selectively cracking 3-methylpentane (3MP) in preference to the doubly branched 2,3-dimethylbutane (DMB) at 1000.degree. F. and 1 atmosphere pressure from a 1/1/1 weight ratio mixture of n-hexane/3-methyl-pentane/2,3-dimethylbutane, with the ratio of rate constants k.sub.3MP /k.sub.DMB determined at a temperature of 1000.degree. F. being in excess of about 2, the zeolite having a crystal size of not more than 0.2 micron, to produce isopropyl alcohol.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the water:propylene ratio is from about 1:1 to about 10:1.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature is from about 200.degree. to about 400.degree. F.
- 4. The process of claim 3 wherein the temperature is from about 300.degree. to about 400.degree. F.
- 5. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature is from about 300.degree. to about 350.degree. F.
- 6. The process of claim 1 wherein the total system pressure is at least about 5 atm.
- 7. The process of claim 1 wherein the total system pressure is at least about 20 atm.
- 8. The process of claim 1 wherein the total system pressure is at least about 40 atmospheres.
- 9. The process of claim 1 wherein the zeolite is ZSM-35.
- 10. The process of claim 1 wherein the zeolite is ferrierite.
- 11. The process of claim 1 wherein the zeolite is ZSM-22.
- 12. The process of claim 1 wherein the zeolite is ZSM-23.
- 13. The process of claim 1 wherein the zeolite is bound with silica as a binder.
- 14. The process of claim 1 in which the crystal size of the zeolite is less than 0.1.mu..
- 15. The process of claim 1 in which at least part of the framework aluminum of the zeolite is substituted by a metal other than aluminum.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of prior co-pending Application Ser. No. 07/139,565, filed Dec. 30, 1987 and now abandoned. The contents of application Ser. No. 07/139,565 are incorporated in this application by reference.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4214107 |
Chang et al. |
Jul 1980 |
|
4783555 |
Atkins |
Nov 1988 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
139565 |
Dec 1987 |
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