Patent ID: 9688589
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: C07C,Y02P

Claim:
1. A process for the preparation of n-propyl benzene, the process comprising the steps of: (a) adding a first amount of dry toluene and a dry solid support comprising an alkali metal carboxylate to a first reactor to form a mixture; (b) adding an alkali metal catalyst and oleic acid to the mixture prepared in step (a) to form a reaction mass, and closing and agitating the first reactor for a time period of about 30 minutes to about 1 hour; (c) flushing the first reactor with nitrogen gas, and heating the reaction mass to a temperature in a range of about 185° C. to about 190° C. for about 15 minutes to activate the catalyst; (d) adding a second amount of dry toluene and a first amount of initiator selected from di-tert-butyl peroxide, azo-iso-bis butyronitrile, or iso-amyl nitrite to a second reactor, flushing the second reactor with nitrogen gas, and stirring for about 15 minutes to about 30 minutes, then transferring the second amount of dry toluene and first amount of initiator from the second reactor to the first reactor; (e) heating the first reactor to a temperature in a range of about 180° C. to about 220° C., then adding ethylene to the first reactor to form a reaction medium comprising n-propyl benzene; (f) periodically adding a second amount of initiator selected from di-tert-butyl peroxide, azo-iso-bis butyronitrile, or iso-amyl nitrite to the first reactor, and maintaining the reaction medium at a temperature range of about 180° C. to about 220° C. for about 1 hour to about 5 hours while agitating the reaction medium at about 35 kg/cm (g) cooling the reaction medium to room temperature, then adding an amount of methanol and then adding an amount of water to the reaction medium; (h) separating the reaction medium into an aqueous phase comprising the catalyst, solid support and un-reacted toluene, and an organic phase comprising n-propyl benzene and byproduct; and (i) analyzing the organic phase and separating the n-propyl-benzene from the byproduct.