Does anyone in China have a process for the isomerization of n-butane?
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I would like to ask if there are any industrial processes in China for the isomerization of n-butane, that is, converting n-butane into isobutane and then dehydrogenating it to isobutylene
I looked into this topic some time ago and found no devices of this kind available in China.
The original poster wants isobutane, while we need n-butane; we can work together. Isobutane can react with propylene to produce propylene oxide along with tert-butanol, and its dehydration is also feasible. There’s not much point in isomerizing n-butane!
Upstairs, one of the processes for producing MTBE from C4 in the United States involves isomerizing n-butane into isobutane, then dehydrogenating it to produce isobutylene, and finally forming MTBE through etherification. It must have industrial significance!
So, I would like to ask again for your straightforward opinion: Is there any mature process in China for producing tert-butanol as a by-product of PO synthesis using isobutane and propylene? Is a catalyst required for this process? And what are the cost advantages of this approach?
I know that currently, projects for producing maleic anhydride from n-butane, as well as those for manufacturing BDO through esterification and hydrogenation, are quite profitable. So why go the route of n-butane isomerization?
The technology exists abroad, while in China it is still under laboratory research.
I don’t know who has a device for butane isomerization
Does Yanshan Petrochemical have a butane isomerization unit?
Fushun Petrochemical and Dalian Chemical possess all the relevant patents, but it is unknown whether there are any industrial-scale production facilities
Under consideration: the route for producing isobutane via butane isomerization, and MTBE.