Systems and methods for producing ethylene oxide (EO) are disclosed. Ethylene oxide is produced by direct oxidizing ethylene with oxygen in a reactor. The effluent from the reactor is processed to produce (a) a product stream comprising water and ethylene oxide, (b) a reabsorber overhead stream comprising ethylene, methane, argon, and carbon dioxide, and (c) a carbonate flash gas stream comprising carbon dioxide, ethylene, methane, and water. The reabsorber overhead stream and the carbonate flash gas stream are combined to form a reclaim gas stream. The reclaimed gas stream is separated in a membrane separation unit to remove carbon dioxide and argon, forming a recycle stream comprising primarily ethylene and methane, collectively.

This invention relates to a process for the epoxidation of a tetrasubstituted alkene such as terpinolene to the corresponding epoxide such as terpinolene epoxide by reacting the tetrasubstituted alkene with performic acid prepared in situ from formic acid and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of at least one buffering agent. Further, the invention relates to the use of an oxidizing agent comprising hydrogen peroxide and formic acid for the in-situ epoxidation of a tetrasubstituted alkene.

This invention relates to a process for the epoxidation of a tetrasubstituted alkene such as terpinolene to the corresponding epoxide such as terpinolene epoxide by reacting the tetrasubstituted alkene with performic acid prepared in situ from formic acid and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of at least one buffering agent. Further, the invention relates to the use of an oxidizing agent comprising hydrogen peroxide and formic acid for the in-situ epoxidation of a tetrasubstituted alkene.

Embodiments provide a process for purifying an alkylene oxide composition, which comprises (1) obtaining a crude alkylene oxide composition comprising an ionic component; (2) passing the crude alkylene oxide composition through a molecular sieve; and (3) obtaining a purified alkylene oxide composition. A purified alkylene oxide composition suitable for a subsequent process can be obtained.

A transition metal-based heterogeneous carbonylation reaction catalyst has an excellent catalytic activity and selectivity in the carbonylation reaction and is easily separated from a product, by crosslinking polymerizing a transition metal-based homogeneous catalyst unit through a Friedel-Craft reaction. The catalyst may be used in a method for preparing lactone. The transition metal-based heterogeneous carbonylation reaction catalyst allows to produce lactone or succinic anhydride with an epoxide compound while showing a high selectivity, and can be applied in industrial very usefully due to easy separation from the product and thus reusing thereof.

The present invention relates to a transition metal-based heterogeneous carbonylation reaction catalyst that has an excellent catalytic activity and selectivity in the carbonylation reaction and is easily separated from a product, by crosslinking polymerizing a transition metal-based homogeneous catalyst unit through a Friedel-Craft reaction; and a method for preparing lactone using the same. The transition metal-based heterogeneous carbonylation reaction catalyst allows to produce lactone or succinic anhydride with an epoxide compound while showing a high selectivity, and can be applied in industrial very usefully due to easy separation from the product and thus reusing thereof.

A method for producing an epoxyalkane includes the step of separating a stream containing an epoxyalkane and an extracting agent in a separation column having a column kettle reboiler. A part of a stream in the column kettle of the separation column enters an extracting agent purifier and is treated to obtain a gas phase light fraction that returns to the separation column and a liquid phase heavy fraction that is subjected to a post-treatment. The method can be used in the industrial production of an epoxyalkane.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems that relate to various configurations of electrochemical, bromination, oxybromination, bromine oxidation, hydrolysis, neutralization, and epoxidation reactions to form propylene bromohydrin, propanal, and propylene oxide or to form bromoethanol, bromoacetaldehyde, and ethylene oxide.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems that relate to various configurations of electrochemical, bromination, oxybromination, bromine oxidation, hydrolysis, neutralization, and epoxidation reactions to form propylene bromohydrin, propanal, and propylene oxide or to form bromoethanol, bromoacetaldehyde, and ethylene oxide.

A method for producing epoxyalkane includes the step of separating, in a separation column, a stream containing epoxyalkane, extractant, and diol. The separation column operates under conditions so as to enable the extractant and the diol to form an azeotrope, and a stream containing extractant and binary azeotrope is extracted from the side-draw of the separation column to liquid-liquid separation. The method can be used for the industrial production of epoxyalkane.