Patent ID: 7553406
Filing Date: 2009-06-30
Classification: B01D,C07B,C07C,C10G

Abstract:
1. A process for the purification of a hydrocarbon, or mixture of hydrocarbons, comprising one or more impurities that are extractable with an ionic liquid, the process comprising the steps of: a) providing a hydrocarbon, or mixture of hydrocarbons, comprising one or more impurities that are extractable with an ionic liquid; b) exposing the hydrocarbon, or mixture thereof, to an ionic liquid while agitating for a period of time sufficient and at a temperature sufficient for the ionic liquid to extract at least a portion of the one or more impurities from the hydrocarbon and to form an at least biphasic mixture with the hydrocarbon, or mixture thereof; and c) separating the ionic liquid from the hydrocarbon, or mixture thereof, whereby the amount of one or more impurities in the hydrocarbon, or mixture thereof, is reduced; wherein: the ionic liquid is a compound, or a mixture of compounds, of the Formula 1 wherein: n=1 or 2; the anion (Y) n− is selected from the group consisting of tetrafluoroborate ((BF 4 ) − ), tetrachloroborate ((BCl 4 ) − ), hexafluorophosphate ((PF 6 ) − ), hexafluoroantimonate ((SbF 6 ) − ), hexafluoroarsenate ((AsF 6 ) − ), tetrachloroaluminate ((AlCl 4 ) − ), trichlorozincate ((ZnCl 3 ) − ), dichlorocuprate, sulfate ((SO 4 ) 2− ), carbonate ((CO 3 ) 2− ), fluorosulfonate, (R′—COO) − , (R′—SO 4 ) − , (R′—SO 3 ) − or ((R′—SO 2 ) 2 N) − , wherein R′ is a linear or branched aliphatic or alicyclic alkyl containing from 1 to 16 carbon atoms, or a C 5 -C 18 aryl, C 5 -C 18 -aryl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl or C 1 -C 6 -alkyl-C 5 -C 18 -aryl residue which may be substituted with halogen atoms; the cation (A) + is selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium cations of general formula phosphonium cations of general formula imidazolium cations of general formula wherein the imidazole nucleus may be substituted with at least one group selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 aminoalkyl, C 5 -C 16 aryl or C 5 -C 16 -aryl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl groups; pyridinium cations of general formula wherein the pyridine nucleus may be substituted with at least one group selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 aminoalkyl, C 5 -C 16 aryl or C 5 -C 16 -aryl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl groups; pyrazolium cations of general formula wherein the pyrazole nucleus may be substituted with at least one group selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 aminoalkyl, C 5 -C 16 aryl or C 5 -C 16 -aryl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl groups; and triazolium cations of general formula wherein the triazole nucleus may be substituted with at least one group selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 aminoalkyl, C 5 -C 16 aryl or C 5 -C 16 -aryl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl groups; the residues R 1 , R 2 , R 3 are independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of: hydrogen; linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, aliphatic or alicyclic alkyl groups having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; heteroaryl, heteroaryl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl groups having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the heteroaryl residue and at least one heteroatom selected from N, O and S which may be substituted with at least one group selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl groups and/or halogen atoms; and aryl, aryl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl groups having from 5 to 16 carbon atoms in the aryl residue which may be optionally substituted with at least one C 1 -C 6 alkyl group and/or halogen atom; and the residue R is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of: linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, aliphatic or alicyclic alkyl groups having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; heteroaryl, heteroaryl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl groups having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the heteroaryl residue and at least one heteroatom selected from N, O and S which may be substituted with at least one group selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl groups and/or halogen atoms; aryl, aryl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl groups having from 5 to 16 carbon atoms in the aryl residue which may be optionally substituted with at least one C 1 -C 6 alkyl group and/or halogen atom; wherein the one or more impurities is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen-containing impurities; halogen-containing impurities; oxygen-containing impurities, said oxygen-containing impurities being selected from the group consisting of aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids and peroxides; and a mixture of two or more thereof; provided that when the cation (A) + is quaternary ammonium cations of general formula the residues R 1 , R 2 , R 3 are independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of: linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, aliphatic or alicyclic alkyl groups having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; heteroaryl, heteroaryl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl groups having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the heteroaryl residue and at least one heteroatom selected from N, O and S which may be substituted with at least one group selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl groups and/or halogen atoms; and aryl, aryl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl groups having from 5 to 16 carbon atoms in the aryl residue which may be optionally substituted with at least one C 1 -C 6 alkyl group and/or halogen atom.