Patent ID: 8697802
Filing Date: 2014-04-15
Classification: C08F

Abstract:
1. A process for producing a polymer or copolymer of vinyl alcohol, the process comprising the steps of: (a) contacting acetic acid with ethylene and oxygen under conditions sufficient to form vinyl acetate monomer; (b) polymerizing at least a portion of the vinyl acetate monomer from step (a) to form a vinyl acetate based polymer or copolymer; (c) contacting at least a portion of the vinyl acetate based polymer or copolymer from step (b) with a base and methanol under conditions effective to form a polymer or copolymer of vinyl alcohol and a first stream comprising methyl acetate; (d) subjecting at least a portion of the methyl acetate to hydrogenolysis to form methanol and ethanol; (e) dehydrating at least a portion of the ethanol formed in step (d) to form ethylene; (f) recycling at least a portion of the ethylene formed in step (e) to step (a) for contact with acetic acid and oxygen; (g) converting a carbon source into syngas, separating a portion of the syngas into a hydrogen stream and carbon monoxide stream, and using at least a portion of the hydrogen stream as a source of hydrogen in hydrogenolysis step (d); and (h) converting at least some of the syngas into methanol, reacting a portion of the carbon monoxide stream with a portion of the methanol to form acetic acid, and using at least some of the acetic acid as a source of acetic acid in the step(a) reaction of acetic acid, ethylene and oxygen.