【Ten Years of Great Progress in Chemical Technology】Evaluation successful for the pilot-scale implementation of MMA’s new generation of clean production process using the C2 synthesis route from 195 to 2023

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The chemical industry has seen tremendous development over the past decade; let’s praise the prosperity and strength of modern China. By contributing our ideas, we can foster more active participation from everyone. HaiChuan becomes even better with your involvement – we welcome everyone to join in the forum discussions. Be careful with fire as the heat increases in July. -------------------------------------------On July 7th, the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation organized an evaluation meeting regarding the development of new technologies for synthesizing methyl methacrylate (MMA) via the C2 route. Based on Zibo Nuoao Chemical’s mature technology for the hydroformylation of ethylene to produce propionaldehyde, this project, in collaboration with the Shanghai Institute of Chemical Technology, Shanghai Huayi New Materials, and Tianjin University, built pilot-scale plants with capacities of 1,000 tons per year for MAL and 500 tons per year for MMA, and conducted experiments there. New process technologies for producing methacraldehyde (MAL) via a C2 route, as well as for converting MAL and methanol into MMA through oxidative esterification, were successfully developed. Experts confirmed that these processes are feasible and suitable for industrial application, and the project passed the evaluation successfully. Currently, the established processes for producing MMA at home and abroad include three types of technologies: the methacrylamide hydrolysis-esterification route (propiononitrile method and methacrylonitrile method), the isobutylene oxidation route, and the ethylene carbonylation route. The key focus of MMA technology development should be on actively developing and overcoming the key technologies related to clean production processes. This includes developing new clean production methods for MMA using C2–C4 raw materials, as well as overcoming the key challenges associated with different raw material pathways, in order to meet the technological requirements of enterprises that rely on various raw material sources.