A selective hydrogenation process is described. The process includes dissolving acetylene and hydrogen in a solvent to form a liquid feedstream. The solvent comprises a mixture of a polar organic solvent and a non-polar organic solvent. The liquid feedstream is contacted with a heterogeneous supported selective hydrogenation catalyst at selective hydrogenation conditions to convert at least a portion of the acetylene to ethylene forming a liquid reaction mixture comprising the ethylene produced.

A selective hydrogenation process is described. The process includes dissolving acetylene and hydrogen in a solvent to form a liquid feedstream. The solvent comprises a mixture of a polar organic solvent and a non-polar organic solvent. The liquid feedstream is contacted with a heterogeneous supported selective hydrogenation catalyst at selective hydrogenation conditions to convert at least a portion of the acetylene to ethylene forming a liquid reaction mixture comprising the ethylene produced.

A selective hydrogenation process is described. The process includes dissolving acetylene and hydrogen in a solvent to form a liquid feedstream. The solvent comprises a mixture of a polar organic solvent and a non-polar organic solvent. The liquid feedstream is contacted with a heterogeneous supported selective hydrogenation catalyst at selective hydrogenation conditions to convert at least a portion of the acetylene to ethylene forming a liquid reaction mixture comprising the ethylene produced.

Nickel and copper catalyst, and an alumina support: nickel distributed both in the core of and on a crust at the periphery of the support, crust thickness being 2% to 15% of catalyst diameter; nickel density ratio between the crust and the core greater than 3; crust contains more than 25% by weight of nickel element relative to total weight of nickel in the catalyst; mole ratio between nickel and copper is 0.5 to 5, at least one portion of nickel and copper is a nickel-copper alloy; nickel content in the nickel-copper alloy is 0.5% to 15% by weight of nickel element relative to total weight of the catalyst; size of the nickel particles in the catalyst is less than 7 nm.

Nickel and copper catalyst, and an alumina support: nickel distributed both in the core of and on a crust at the periphery of the support, crust thickness being 2% to 15% of catalyst diameter; nickel density ratio between the crust and the core greater than 3; crust contains more than 25% by weight of nickel element relative to total weight of nickel in the catalyst; mole ratio between nickel and copper is 0.5 to 5, at least one portion of nickel and copper is a nickel-copper alloy; nickel content in the nickel-copper alloy is 0.5% to 15% by weight of nickel element relative to total weight of the catalyst; size of the nickel particles in the catalyst is less than 7 nm.

Systems and methods for producing 1,3-butadiene from a C.sub.4 hydrocarbon mixture are disclosed. The C.sub.4 hydrocarbon mixture comprising 1,3-butadiene, C.sub.4 acetylenes, and other C.sub.4 hydrocarbons is processed in an extractive distillation column to produce a crude 1,3-butadiene stream that comprises 1,3-butadiene, and C.sub.4 acetylenes including vinyl acetylene and ethyl acetylene. The crude 1,3-butadiene stream is subsequently distilled in the first distillation column, and the bottom stream of the first distillation column is further distilled in a second distillation column to produce an overhead stream comprising primarily 1,3-butadiene. A side stream comprising primarily C.sub.4 acetylenes is withdrawn from the second distillation column and processed in a selective hydrogenation unit to produce additional 1,3-butadiene.

Systems and methods for producing 1,3-butadiene from a C.sub.4 hydrocarbon mixture are disclosed. The C.sub.4 hydrocarbon mixture comprising 1,3-butadiene, C.sub.4 acetylenes, and other C.sub.4 hydrocarbons is processed in an extractive distillation column to produce a crude 1,3-butadiene stream that comprises 1,3-butadiene, and C.sub.4 acetylenes including vinyl acetylene and ethyl acetylene. The crude 1,3-butadiene stream is subsequently distilled in the first distillation column, and the bottom stream of the first distillation column is further distilled in a second distillation column to produce an overhead stream comprising primarily 1,3-butadiene. A side stream comprising primarily C.sub.4 acetylenes is withdrawn from the second distillation column and processed in a selective hydrogenation unit to produce additional 1,3-butadiene.

Systems and methods for producing 1,3-butadiene from a C.sub.4 hydrocarbon mixture are disclosed. The C.sub.4 hydrocarbon mixture comprising 1,3-butadiene, C.sub.4 acetylenes, and other C.sub.4 hydrocarbons is processed in an extractive distillation column to produce a crude 1,3-butadiene stream that comprises 1,3-butadiene, and C.sub.4 acetylenes including vinyl acetylene and ethyl acetylene. The crude 1,3-butadiene stream is subsequently distilled in the first distillation column, and the bottom stream of the first distillation column is further distilled in a second distillation column to produce an overhead stream comprising primarily 1,3-butadiene. A side stream comprising primarily C.sub.4 acetylenes is withdrawn from the second distillation column and processed in a selective hydrogenation unit to produce additional 1,3-butadiene.

The invention relates to a process for converting hydrocarbons into products containing aldehydes and/or alcohols. The invention also relates to producing olefins from the aldehyde and alcohol, to polymerizing the olefins, and to equipment useful for these processes.

The invention relates to a process for converting hydrocarbons into products containing aldehydes and/or alcohols. The invention also relates to producing olefins from the aldehyde and alcohol, to polymerizing the olefins, and to equipment useful for these processes.