US 12,084,410 B2
Process for dehydrating methanol to dimethyl ether
Benjamin James Dennis-Smither, Hull (GB); John Glenn Sunley, Hull (GB); and Zhiqiang Yang, Liaoning (CN)
Assigned to BP P.L.C. and BP (CHINA) Holdings LTD, Shanghai (CN)
Appl. No. 17/433,135
Filed by BP P.L.C., London (GB); and BP (CHINA) HOLDINGS LTD, Shanghai (CN)
PCT Filed Feb. 22, 2019, PCT No. PCT/CN2019/075849
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 23, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/168548, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 27, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0185755 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C07C 41/09 (2006.01); B01J 29/06 (2006.01); B01J 29/08 (2006.01); B01J 29/18 (2006.01); B01J 29/40 (2006.01); B01J 29/70 (2006.01)
CPC C07C 41/09 (2013.01) [B01J 29/06 (2013.01); B01J 29/084 (2013.01); B01J 29/18 (2013.01); B01J 29/40 (2013.01); B01J 29/7007 (2013.01); B01J 29/7042 (2013.01); B01J 29/7046 (2013.01); B01J 2229/42 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
 
1. A process comprising dehydrating methanol to a dimethyl ether product in the presence of a catalyst and a promoter, wherein the catalyst is at least one aluminosilicate zeolite, wherein:
the aluminosilicate zeolite is selected from: (i) a zeolite having a 2-dimensional framework structure comprising at least one channel having a 10-membered ring, and having a maximum free sphere diameter of at least 4.8 Angstroms; (ii) a zeolite having a 3-dimensional framework structure comprising at least one channel having a 10-membered ring; and (iii) a zeolite comprising at least one channel having a 12-membered ring; and
the promoter is selected from one or more compounds of Formula I:

OG Complex Work Unit Chemistry
wherein Y is selected from a C1-C4 hydrocarbyl substituent, and wherein each of X and any or all of the Z's are independently hydrogen, halide, a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl substituent, or a group of the formula —CHO, —CO2R, —COR, or —OR, where R is hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl substituent, and
wherein the molar ratio of the promoter to the methanol is maintained at less than 1.