【Haichuan Chemical Technology News】Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics develops a metal Rh single-atom heterogeneous catalyst for ethylene formylation

Thread Content

First-of-its-kind metal Rh single-atom heterogeneous catalyst for ethylene hydroformylation – Sinochem News. On May 14, the \"50,000 tons per year industrial technology for ethylene hydroformylation and subsequent hydrogenation to n-propanol,\" developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, passed the evaluation of scientific and technological achievements organized by the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation. The appraisal committee unanimously agreed that the metal Rh single-atom heterogeneous catalyst for ethylene formylation in this technological invention represents an original innovation, with the overall technology reaching an internationally leading level. 　　The olefin multiphase hydroformylation single-atom catalyst used in this technology was independently developed by the research teams led by researchers Ding Yunjie and Yan Li from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. It solves problems such as the loss of ligands and active metal components, which have persisted for over 80 years in the process of converting homogeneous catalysis to a multiphase form, and it also offers significant economic benefits. 　　This technology has the following advantages: first, the utilization rate of precious metal atoms is close to 100%, and the amount lost can be considered negligible ； Second, there is almost no separation cost for the catalyst and the reaction system ； Third, a solvent-free, environmentally friendly process is employed in the reaction system, resulting in products of aldehyde and n-propanol with few impurities and high purity. Fourth, through energy-saving designs in the engineering process, a large amount of low-grade heat generated during the formylation and hydrogenation reactions is utilized efficiently. 　　By utilizing this technology developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the \"50,000 tons per year industrial plant for the polyphase formylation of ethylene and its hydrogenation to produce n-propanol,\" designed by Shanghai Huanyu Engineering Co., Ltd. and constructed by Ningbo Juhua Chemical Technology Co., Ltd., began operations in August 2020 and has been running steadily to this day. The device underwent an internal 72-hour continuous operation test from October 18 to 21, 2021. The test results showed that the overall conversion rate of ethylene was 99.26%, the overall conversion rate of propionaldehyde hydrogenation was 99.58%, and the selectivities for propionaldehyde and n-propanol were 99.51% and 98.64%, respectively. 　　Zhou Qiang, chairman and general manager of Ningbo Juhua Chemical Technology Co., Ltd., said that this industrial project has undergone extensive optimization and improvement in terms of process route selection, process design, equipment selection, and automatic control. It incorporates a number of advanced control technologies that fill gaps in the industry, thereby laying the foundation for the development of the olefin multiphase hydroformylation industry. 　　It is reported that the olefin hydroformylation reaction is a process that converts olefins, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide into aldehyde compounds; in this process, the utilization rate of raw materials is nearly 100%, which makes it significant for optimizing resource use. Furthermore, aldehydes can be further converted into chemicals such as alcohols, acids, and esters, and they serve as key raw materials for high-value fine chemicals including detergents, plasticizers, surfactants, as well as pharmaceuticals and fragrances. However, the hydroformylation of olefins presents problems in the catalytic process, such as the loss of precious metals and ligands, difficulties in separating the catalyst from the product, the extensive use of solvents, and low efficiency in utilizing the large amount of reaction heat generated.