REGULATOR FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ALKANE SULFONIC ACIDS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for the production of alkane sulfonic acid with a regulator as well as two specific compounds which can be used as regulator in a respective process.

Claims

1. A process for the production of alkane sulfonic acids, comprising contacting an alkane and SO.sub.3 with each other in the presence of a regulator, said regulator being a transition metal or metal or metalloid of any of groups 3 to 14 of the periodic table, or mixtures of two or more of those, the transition metal or metal or metalloid being present in its elemental form, as a salt, or as an oxide.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the regulator is one or more transition metals.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the regulator is one or more transition metals of group 9, 10 or 11 of the periodic table.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the regulator has free hydroxyl-groups on its surface.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the regulator is present as a salt.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the regulator is selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica (SiO.sub.2), zirconia, a zeolite, Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh, Ru, Ag and mixtures of those.

7. The process according to claim 6, wherein alumina, silica, zirconia or silica are used as regulator in combination with at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh, Ru and Ag.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the alkane is methane and the alkane sulfonic acid is methane sulfonic acid (MSA).

9-10. (canceled)

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Reaction without a Regulator

[0022] In a 3.75 L autoclave, 1000 g of 36% (w/w) oleum is charged, and the temperature controlled to 50 C. After a pressure of 100 bar of methane gas was set, intensive stirring is performed with a stirrer from the company Parr. Now, the initiator solution consisting of 96 ml methanesulfonic acid and 3.6 ml hydrogen peroxide (70%) is metered dropwise to the solution. The pressure drops to 36 bar within 5 hours. The yield is higher than 90%, based on sulfur trioxide. The reaction product contains 42% (w/w) methanesulfonic acid.

Example 2: Reaction with gamma-Aluminium oxide as regulator

[0023] In a 3.75 L autoclave, 1 g of gamma-Aluminium oxide and 1000 g of 36% (w/w) oleum is charged, and the temperature controlled to 50 C. After a pressure of 100 bar of methane gas was set, intensive stirring is performed with a stirrer from the company Parr. Now, the initiator solution consisting of 96 ml methanesulfonic acid and 3.6 ml hydrogen peroxide (70%) is metered dropwise to the solution. The pressure drops to 28 bar within 3.5 hours. The yield is higher than 95%, based on sulfur trioxide. The reaction product contains 45% (w/w) methanesulfonic acid.

Example 3: Reaction with Rhodium Chloride as Regulator

[0024] In a 3.75 L autoclave, 1 g of rhodium chloride and 1000 g of 36% (w/w) oleum is charged, and the temperature controlled to 50 C. After a pressure of 100 bar of methane gas was set, intensive stirring is performed with a stirrer from the company Parr. Now, the initiator solution consisting of 96 ml methanesulfonic acid and 4 ml hydrogen peroxide (70%) is metered dropwise to the solution. The pressure drops to 35 bar within 3 hours. The yield is higher than 90%, based on sulfur trioxide. The reaction product contains 43% (w/w) methanesulfonic acid.