EP3322523A1

EP3322523A1 - Stabilised production of 1,3-butadiene in the presence of a tantalum oxide stimulated by an aldol-reaction element

Info

Publication number: EP3322523A1
Application number: EP16736076.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Nicolas Cadran; Alexandra Chaumonnot
Original assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA; IFP Energies Nouvelles IFPEN
Current assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA; IFP Energies Nouvelles IFPEN
Priority date: 2015-07-13
Filing date: 2016-07-05
Publication date: 2018-05-23
Also published as: US10975000B2; RU2018105092A; RU2723553C2; WO2017009106A1; FR3038852B1; FR3038852A1; US20180201553A1; RU2018105092A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a catalyst including at least the element tantalum, at least one aldol-reaction element and at least one mesoporous oxide matrix, the mass of tantalum making up from 0.1 to 30% of the mass of the mesoporous oxide matrix, the mass of the at least one aldol-reaction element making up from 0.02 to 4% of the mass of the mesoporous oxide matrix, and to the use thereof to convert ethanol into butadiene.

Description

STABILIZED PRODUCTION OF 1,3-BUTADIENE IN THE PRESENCE OF A TANTALIUM OXIDE DOPED BY AN ALDOLIZING ELEMENT

State of the art

Butadiene is widely used in the chemical industry especially as a reagent for the production of polymers. Currently, butadiene is almost entirely produced from steam cracking units of which it is a valuable by-product. The fluctuation in the price of oil and the ever greater demand for this chemical intermediary have made its price very volatile, which encourages a diversification of the means of supply. It is well known to those skilled in the art that 1,3-butadiene can be produced from ethanol. Two processes have been industrialized on a large scale: the "S. K. Process" and the "Carbide Process". In the "SK Process", 1,3-butadiene is produced from ethanol in one step, whereas in the "Carbide Process", 1,3-butadiene is produced in two steps: ethanol is first converted to acetaldehyde, then an ethanol-acetaldehyde mixture is converted to 1,3-butadiene. The main distinction between the catalysts involved in these processes is that one (SK Process) is capable of dehydrogenating ethanol to acetaldehyde while producing butadiene from the mixture so formed while the other is not and therefore requires a first dehydrogenation step on a specific catalyst. The most effective catalyst components for this butadiene production method are magnesium, tantalum, zirconium, hafnium, with butadiene selectivities of 50 to 69%, with niobium (or columbium) considered an unattractive element with selectivities of less than 40% (BB Corson, HE Jones, CE Welling, JA Hinckley, EE Stahly Ind. Eng Chem, 1950, 42 (2), pp 359-373).

Whatever the process (one or two steps), the overall assessment of the main reaction is as follows:

2 CH ₃ CH ₂ OH - CH ₂ CHCHCH ₂ + H ₂ + 2H ₂ 0

Under this global balance, many chemical reactions including a dehydrogenation reaction to generate acetaldehyde (I), an aldolization / crotonization reaction of acetaldehyde in crotonaldehyde (II), a Merwein-Pondorff-Verley reaction ( MPV) between ethanol and crotonaldehyde (III) and finally a step of dehydration of crotyl alcohol into butadiene (IV).

I: CH ₃ CH ₂ OH ≠ CH ₃ CHO + H ₂

II: 2 CH ₃ CHO ≠ CH ₃ CHCH-CHO + H ₂ 0

III: CH ₃ CHCH-CHO + CH ₃ CH ₂ OH CH ₃ CHCH-CH ₂ OH + CH ₃ CHO

IV: CH ₃ CHCH-CH ₂ OH - CH ₂ CHCHCH ₂ + H ₂ 0

This multiplicity of chemical reactions is at the origin of many by-products if the sequencing of the steps is not done in the order specified above, especially with the presence of secondary dehydration and condensation reactions. In addition, other reactions may occur (such as isomerization, cyclization, the reaction of Diels and Help, etc.) further increasing the number of by-products. At this stage, it should be noted that, depending on the nature of the catalyst used for the conversion of ethanol (or ethanol-acetaldehyde mixture) to 1,3-butadiene, the distribution of said by-products may change significantly. Thus, the addition of an acidic element will increase the production of dehydration products (eg ethylene or diethyl ether) while the addition of a basic element will promote the formation of multiple condensation products (eg hexenes or hexadienes).

Consequently, irrespective of the process (one or two steps), the selectivity of the conversion of ethanol (or ethanol-acetaldehyde mixture) to 1,3-butadiene is moderate. However, because of the relatively high price of the raw material, the economic study of the process shows that the efficiency of the transformation of the load constitutes an important lever to ensure its viability. Many efforts have been made to maximize this selectivity.

In particular, during the development of the butadiene production process from an ethanol acetaldehyde mixture (two-step process), the best catalyst found was a tantalum oxide deposited on an amorphous silica (Ind. Eng. Chem. (1949), pages 1012-1017). The butadiene selectivity was 69% for an initial conversion of the feed of 34%. It has also been shown that the use of this same catalyst in a "Carbide" industrial unit led to the formation of the following impurities (by-products): diethyl ether (23% weight of impurities), ethylene (11% by weight) impurities), hexenes, hexadienes (11% weight of impurities), etc. (W. J. Toussaint, J.T. Dunn, D.R. Jackson Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol 39, No. 2, pp 120-125 1947). Despite the presence of by-products, their formation is limited by the relatively low acid-base properties of the tantalum element. The latter also makes it possible to catalyze reactions II, III and IV very effectively.

However, this property of the tantalum element is also one of the reasons which explains the difficulty encountered in maintaining the same selectivity throughout a catalytic cycle, a catalytic cycle corresponding to the time spent under load between two catalyst regeneration phases. Indeed, with the aging of the catalyst and its coking, the catalyst loses some of its active sites. The selectivity of the catalyst can be deeply affected, especially since not all the active sites involved are equivalent. In the case of this process where selectivity is the main factor affecting performance, the duration of a catalytic cycle, ie the period when the process is sufficiently selective to be economically viable, can thus be greatly reduced.

Some solutions have been envisaged to limit or circumvent this catalyst deactivation problem, such as the implementation of continuous regenerative processes (fluidized beds, etc.) which make it possible to avoid these problems of controlling the deactivation. However, the introduction of such a technology greatly increases the cost of the process. Another proposed solution was to continuously add an element oxidant (such as hydrogen peroxide) which, in addition to modifying the equilibrium of the different chemical reactions, must act as a decoking element.

Summary of the invention

The invention relates to a catalyst comprising, and preferably consisting of, at least the tantalum element, at least one aldolising element selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, barium, cerium and tin and mixtures thereof and at least one mesoporous oxide matrix comprising at least one oxide of an element X selected from silicon, titanium and their mixtures, the tantalum mass being between 0.1 and 30% of the mass of the matrix mesoporous oxide, the mass of aldolisant element being between 0.02 and 4% of the mass of the mesoporous oxide matrix and its use.

Interest of the invention

The advantage of the invention is to maintain the high selectivity of the tantalum element for the production of butadiene from a mixture comprising at least ethanol via the addition of a co-element inherently low selective for butadiene production. The Applicant has in fact surprisingly discovered that a subtle combination of a preferentially aldolising element chosen from the following non-exhaustive list: magnesium, calcium, barium, lantane, cerium and tin, with tantalum makes it possible to compensate for the deselectivation of the catalyst. This discovery thus makes it possible to improve the performance of the process, either by limiting the losses during a given cycle time (limited production of by-products over the same period of time), or by increasing this cycle time (selectivity maintained at an economically acceptable level over a longer period of time).

In the remainder of the text, aldolisant element is understood to mean an element chosen from the following non-exhaustive list: magnesium, calcium, barium, cerium and tin. Preferably, the aldolisant element is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, barium, cerium and tin and mixtures thereof.

Presentation of the invention

The present invention relates to the combination, on the same catalyst, of the tantalum element with a metal element called aldolisant element, chosen from the following non-exhaustive list: magnesium, calcium, barium, cerium and tin, in a process for producing butadiene from a filler comprising at least ethanol. This combination results in an improvement in the performance of the catalyst according to the invention over a given period of time, compared to the performance of a conventional catalyst based on tantalum alone. This invention therefore significantly improves the butadiene production process, either by limiting raw material losses as unwanted by-products during a given work period, or by potentially increasing the cycle time. catalyst iso-selectivity. The invention relates to a catalyst, used for the production of butadiene from a filler comprising at least ethanol, comprising at least the tantalum element associated with at least one aldolising element and at least one mesoporous oxide matrix, said aldolisant element, also called co-element, being chosen from the following non-exhaustive list: magnesium, calcium, barium, cerium and tin, preferably in the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, barium, cerium and tin and mixtures thereof, preferably in the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Ba, Ce and Sn and mixtures thereof. Preferably, said aldolising element is selected from the group consisting of calcium and barium and mixtures thereof.

The catalyst according to the invention comprises a tantalum mass of between 0, 1 and 30%, preferably between 0.3 and 10%, preferably between 0.5 and 5% and very preferably between 0, 5 and 2% of the mass of the mesoporous oxide matrix.

The catalyst according to the invention comprises a co-element mass of between 0.02 and 4%, preferably between 0.02 and 2%, preferably between 0.05 and 1% and very preferably between 0, 05 and 0.5% of the mass of the mesoporous oxide matrix.

By catalyst comprising an element A, the mass of the element A being comprised, or representing between, x and y% of the mass of the mesoporous oxide matrix, is understood to mean that said catalyst comprises between x and y parts by weight of said element A per 100 parts by weight of said mesoporous oxide matrix.

The catalyst according to the invention also advantageously comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of elements from groups 1, 4, 5 of the periodic table and their mixtures, preferably from at least one element selected from the group consisting of the element Cs and the element Nb and their mixtures, and very preferably the element Nb, the mass of said element representing between 0.01 and 5%, preferably between 0.01 and 1%, preferably between 0.05 and 0.5% of the mass of the mesoporous oxide matrix. Very preferably, said catalyst according to the invention does not comprise Nb.

In a particular arrangement, the catalyst according to the invention advantageously also comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of the elements of groups 11 and 12 of the periodic table and their mixtures, that is to say from the periodic table of elements, more preferably at least one element selected from the group 12 of the periodic table and even more preferably the element Zn, the mass of said element representing between 0.5 and 10%, and preferably between 1 and 5 % of the mass of said silica-based mesoporous oxide matrix. This arrangement is particularly advantageous in the case where the catalyst according to the invention is used in a one-step process, that is to say in a process treating a feed mainly comprising ethanol. By mainly ethanol, it is meant that the mass ratio of ethanol to acetaldehyde in said feedstock, when said feedstock comprises acetaldehyde, is at least greater than 1, preferably at least greater than 5, said feed also possibly not comprising of acetaldehyde. The catalyst matrix according to the invention is mesoporous and comprises at least one oxide of an element X chosen from silicon, titanium and their mixtures. Preferably, the element X is silicon. Said oxide matrix is mesoporous, that is to say that it is characterized by the presence of pores whose size varies between 2 and 50 nm according to the IUPAC classification (Sing, KSW, Everett, DH, W. Haul, RA, Moscow, L. Pierotti, J. Rouquerol, J., Siemieniewska, T. Pure Appl. Chem., 57, 603, 1985). In addition to being mesoporous, said matrix may be mesostructured (that is to say have mesopores of uniform size and periodically distributed in said matrix) or hierarchically porous (presence of micropores and / or macropores additional to mesopores). Very preferably, the mesoporous oxide matrix constituting the catalyst according to the invention is a mesoporous amorphous silica with unorganized porosity without micropores.

More particularly, the matrix of the catalyst according to the invention comprises a silicon oxide (silica) having a specific surface area of 100 to 1200 m ² / g, and preferably at least 400 m ² / g, a mesoporous volume between 0.2 and 1.8 ml / g and preferably at least 0.6 ml / g and a mesopore diameter of between 4 and 50 nm and preferably at least 6 nm. For example, a Davisil Grade 636 commercial silica (SBET ~ 500 m ² / g, Vp ~ 0.9 ml / g and φ ~ 7 nm) can be used. Advantageously, said matrix of the catalyst according to the invention does not undergo acid washing.

More particularly, silicon oxides, also known as silicas, containing alkali metal contents expressed in% by weight of metal relative to the mass of the mesoporous matrix of less than 1% by weight, preferably less than 0.5% by weight, are used. and very preferably less than 0.1% by weight.

The catalyst according to the invention can be prepared according to the methods known to those skilled in the art. The tantalum element, the aldolising element, as well as the optional additional element constituting the catalyst according to the invention can therefore be introduced by any method known to those skilled in the art and at any stage of the preparation of the catalyst according to the invention. the invention.

Thus, the tantalum element, the aldolising element, as well as the optional additional element of the catalyst according to the invention can be introduced by depositing the precursors associated with the surface of a preformed mesoporous oxide matrix. The latter can be commercial or well synthesized according to the methods known to those skilled in the art, in particular by using so-called "sol-gel" synthesis methods (see the definition below). For example and in a non-exhaustive manner, so-called methods of dry impregnation, excess impregnation, CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition or Chemical Vapor Deposition), CLD (Chemical Liquid Deposition or chemical deposition in liquid phase), etc. . can be used. Another option is to use as a process for preparing the catalyst according to the invention any synthetic method known to those skilled in the art to introduce the associated precursors of the tantalum element, the aldolisant element, as well as those associated with the optional additional element, directly during the synthesis of the chosen mesoporous oxide matrix. For example and in a non exhaustive, the synthesis methodologies used can be inorganic "traditional" synthesis methods (precipitation / gelation from salts under mild conditions of temperature and pressure) or "modern" metallo-organic (precipitation / gelation from alkoxides under mild conditions of temperature and pressure), the latter being easily referred to as "sol-gel" methods. It is also possible to use "sol-gel" methods combined with the use of specific synthetic methods such as spray-drying (also called atomization), dip-coating.

A third option consists in introducing the tantalum element directly during the synthesis of the chosen mesoporous oxide matrix and the aldolisant co-element by deposition of at least one precursor associated with the surface of the mesoporous oxide matrix containing tantalum and vice versa. The optional additional element is introduced indifferently with the tantalum element or with the co-element aldolisant.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the methods for ensuring the best dispersion of the tantalum element, the aldolisant co-element, as well as any additional element, are chosen in order to maximize the productivity and the selectivity of the catalyst according to the invention.

For a deposit of the precursors of these elements on the surface of the preformed mesoporous oxide matrix, the so-called dry impregnation method is preferred. No particular limitation exists as to the number of times that said dry impregnation step is repeated. The various steps can be carried out using one or more solvents or solvent mixture in which the precursors of the tantalum element, the aldolisant co-element, as well as the element additional, are soluble. These solvents may be polar / protic such as water, methanol or ethanol, polar / aprotic such as toluene or xylene or apolar / aprotic such as hexane. The acidity of the solutions can also be adapted (addition of acid) to improve the solubility of the species. Likewise, each of the tantalum element, the aldolisant co-element and the optional additional element may be impregnated alone or co-impregnated with at least one of the other elements, the only limitation being the joint presence of the tantalum element and the aldolisant co-element at the end of the process for preparing the catalyst according to the invention. A preferred mode is to perform a first dry impregnation of the aldolisant co-element and then, consecutively, a second dry impregnation of the tantalum element. A typical dry impregnation step comprises, for example, the following operations:

(a) dissolving at least one precursor of the tantalum element, at least one precursor of the aldolisant co-element and optionally at least one precursor of the additional element in a volume of solution corresponding to the pore volume of the preformed mesoporous oxide matrix chosen,

(b) impregnating the solution obtained during the operation (a) on the surface of the chosen preformed mesoporous oxide matrix,

(c) optionally maturing the solid thus obtained in a controlled atmosphere and temperature so as to promote the dispersion of at least said precursors used according to the invention over the entire surface of the chosen preformed mesoporous oxide matrix, (d) post-treatment (s) (hydro) thermal (s) possible solid obtained during operation (c) (drying and / or calcination, and / or steaming, etc.) so as to obtain an intermediate solid or, in fine, the catalyst according to the invention. For an introduction of the precursors associated with the tantalum element and the aldolisant co-element, as well as those associated with the optional additional element, directly during the synthesis of the mesoporous oxide matrix, the "sol-gel" synthesis methods precipitation and atomization are preferred. Even more preferably, the "sol-gel" synthesis method by precipitation is favored. In the particular case of a sol-gel precipitation synthesis leading to the production of a catalyst characterized by an unorganized porosity-based mesoporous oxide matrix, the process for preparing said catalyst according to the invention comprises, for example, example, the following operations:

(a) dissolving at least one precursor of at least the constituent X element of the mesoporous oxide matrix chosen in an aqueous, organic or aquo-organic medium, optionally in the presence of an acid or a base, so to form a solution, possibly colloidal,

(b) adding to the solution obtained during the operation (a) of at least one precursor of the tantalum element, at least one precursor of the aldolisant co-element and optionally at least one precursor of the additional element, in the pure state or dissolved in a suitable medium compatible with said solution resulting from the operation (a). Operation (b) can be repeated as many times as necessary, in particular during the non-joint addition of the various elements tantalum, aldolisant co-element and any additional element,

(c) precipitation of the selected mesoporous oxide matrix and containing the tantalum element, the aldolisant co-element and the optional additional element by addition of an acid, a base or by application of a specific reaction temperature,

(d) filtration followed by possible washes or evaporation of the suspension obtained during the operation (c),

(e) post-treatment (s) (hydro) thermal (s) of the solid obtained in step (d) (drying and calcination, or steaming, etc.) so as to obtain the catalyst used according to the invention.

The precursor (s) of at least one of said X element chosen from silicon, titanium and their mixtures of the mesoporous oxide matrix used during the operation (a) can be all compound comprising the element X and able to release this element in solution in reactive form. Thus, the precursor (s) of at least one of said X element is (are) advantageously an inorganic salt of said element X of formula XZ ", (n = 3 or 4), Z being a halogen, the group NO ₃ or perchlorate. The precursor (s) of at least one of said X element (s) may also be a precursor (s) alkoxide (s) of formula X (OR) _n where R = ethyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, s-butyl, t-butyl, etc. or a chelated precursor such as X (C ₅ H ₈ O ₂ ) _n , with n = 3 or 4. The precursor (s) of at least one of said X element (s) considered may still be an oxide (s) or a hydroxide (s) of said element X. In the preferred case where X is silicon, the silicic precursor is obtained from any source of silica and advantageously from a silicate precursor sodium salt of the formula Na ₂ SiO ₃ , a chlorinated precursor of formula S1CI ₄ , an alkoxide precursor of formula Si (OR) 4 where R = H, methyl, ethyl or a chloroalkoxide precursor of formula Si (OR) 4 _a Cl _a where R = H, methyl, ethyl, a being between 0 and 4. The silicic precursor may also advantageously be an alkoxide precursor of formula Si (OR) ₄ . _is R _'where R = H, methyl, ethyl and R' is an alkyl chain or an alkyl chain functionalized, for example by a thiol, amino, β diketone, sulfonic acid, a is between 0 and 4. A precursor The preferred silicic acid is tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS).

Whatever the method of incorporation of the tantalum element, the aldolisant co-element and the optional additional element, the precursors of these elements are any compound comprising at least the tantalum element, the co-element or the possible additional element and can release this element in solution in reactive form. Thus, the precursors of at least the tantalum element, the aldolisant co-element or the optional additional element are advantageously inorganic salts and alkoxide precursors. The inorganic salts are selected from the group consisting of halides, nitrates, sulfates, phosphates, hydroxides, carbonates, carboxylates, alcoholates, and combinations of two or more thereof, more preferably selected from the group consisting of chlorides, nitrates, carboxylates, alcoholates, and combinations of two or more thereof. The alkoxide precursors have as an example for formula M (OR) _n where M = Nb, Ta, etc. and R = ethyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, t-butyl, etc. or a chelated precursor such as X (C ₅ H ₈ O ₂ ) _n , with n = 3 or 4. For example, the preferred precursors of tantalum are tantalum pentachloride and tantalum pentaethanoate which can be used with most organic solvents.

The catalyst according to the invention may be shaped in the form of beads, pellets, granules, or extrudates (hollow or non-hollow cylinders, multilobed rolls with 2, 3, 4 or 5 lobes, for example, twisted rolls), or rings, etc., these shaping operations being performed by conventional techniques known to those skilled in the art. Preferably, said catalyst used according to the invention is obtained in the form of extrudates with a size of between 1 and 10 mm. However, it is not excluded that said materials obtained are then, for example introduced into equipment for rounding their surface, such as a bezel or other equipment allowing their spheronization.

During the shaping operation, the catalyst according to the invention may optionally be mixed with at least one porous oxide material having the role of binder so as to generate the physical properties of the catalysts suitable for the process (mechanical strength, resistance to attrition, etc.).

Said porous oxide material is preferably a porous oxide material chosen from the group formed by silica, magnesia, clays, titanium oxide, lanthanum oxide, cerium oxide, boron phosphates and a mixture at least two of the oxides mentioned above. It is also possible to use titanates, for example titanates of zinc, nickel or cobalt. It is still possible to use simple, synthetic or natural clays of 2: 1 dioctahedral phyllosilicate or 3: 1 trioctahedral phyllosilicate such as kaolinite, antigorite, chrysotile, montmorillonnite, beidellite, vermiculite, talc , hectorite, saponite, laponite. These clays can be optionally delaminated. The various mixtures using at least two of the compounds mentioned above are also suitable for acting as binder.

Very preferably, the binder used is silicic in nature. For example and non-exhaustively, said silicic binder may be in the form of powders or colloidal solutions.

Preferably, said catalyst comprises from 5 to 60% by weight, and preferably from 10 to 30% by weight of silicic binder, the weight percentages being expressed relative to the total mass of said catalyst. Optionally, at least one organic adjuvant is also mixed during said shaping step. The presence of said organic adjuvant facilitates extrusion shaping. Said organic adjuvant may advantageously be chosen from methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and polyvinyl alcohol. The proportion of said organic adjuvant is advantageously between 0 and 20% by weight, preferably between 0 and 10% by weight and preferably between 0 and 7% by weight, relative to the total weight of said shaped material.

Depending on the process for preparing the chosen catalyst, it is also possible to carry out said shaping step directly on the mesoporous oxide matrix of the catalyst according to the invention. In this case, the introduction of the tantalum element, the aldolisant co-element and the optional additional element is carried out as described above via a deposition of the precursors of these elements on the surface of the preformed mesoporous oxide matrix and placed in shape.

Whatever the method of incorporation of the tantalum elements, the aldolisant co-element and the possible additional element to the catalyst according to the invention and whatever the shaping steps chosen, a post-treatment step (s) ) (hydro) thermal (s) (drying and / or calcination, and / or steaming, etc.) is applied to obtain the catalyst according to the invention. Preferably, the post-treatment applied is a calcination under air in an oven in a temperature range of 300 to 800 ° C, preferably from T = 450 ° C to T = 700 ° C and even more preferably from T = 540 ° C to T = 700 ° C for a period of less than 24 hours and preferably less than 12 hours.

The nitrogen volumetry corresponding to the physical adsorption of nitrogen molecules in the porosity of the catalyst according to the invention via a progressive increase of the pressure at constant temperature provides information on the textural characteristics (pore diameter, pore volume, surface specific) of the material used according to the invention. In particular, it provides access to the specific surface and the mesoporous distribution of the catalyst. Specific surface area is understood to mean the BET specific surface area (SBET in m ² / g) determined by nitrogen adsorption according to the ASTM D 3663-78 standard established from the BRUNAUER-EMMETT-TELLER method described in the "The Journal of American Society ", 1938, 60, 309. Representative porous distribution of a mesopore population centered in a range of 2 to 50 nm (IUPAC classification) is determined by the Barrett-Joyner-Halenda model (BJH). The nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm according to the BJH model thus obtained is described in the periodical "The Journal of the American Society", 1951, 73, 373, written by EP Barrett, LG Joyner and PP Halenda. In the following description of the invention, the term nitrogen adsorption volume, the volume measured for P / PO = 0.99, pressure for which it is assumed that nitrogen has filled all the pores. In the following description, the diameter of the mesopores f of the oxide-based matrix (s) corresponds to the value of the maximum diameter read on the pore size distribution curve obtained from the adsorption branch of the the nitrogen isotherm. In addition, the shape of the nitrogen adsorption isotherm and the hysteresis loop can provide information on the nature of the mesoporosity and the presence of the possible microporosity of the catalyst according to the invention. The quantitative analysis of the microporosity of the inorganic material obtained according to the invention is carried out using methods "t" (method Lippens-De Boer, 1965) or "0Cs" (method proposed by Sing) that correspond to transformations of the starting adsorption isotherm as described in the book "Adsorption by powders and porous solids, Principles, methodology and applications" written by F. Rouquerol, J. Rouquerol and K. Sing, Academy Press, 1999. These methods allow to access in particular the value of the microporous volume characteristic of the microporosity of the catalyst according to the invention.

In the following description of the invention, the porous distribution measured by mercury porosimetry is determined by mercury porosimeter intrusion according to ASTM standard D4284-83 at a maximum pressure of 4000 bar (400 MPa), using a voltage of surface of 484 dyne / cm and a contact angle of 140 °. The angle of wetting was taken equal to 140 ° following the recommendations of the book "Techniques of the engineer, treated analysis and characterization, P 1050-5, written by Jean Charpin and Bernard Rasneur".

The value at which the mercury fills all the intergranular voids is fixed at 0.2 MPa, and it is considered that, beyond this, the mercury enters the pores of the alumina.

In order to obtain a better accuracy, the value of the total pore volume corresponds to the value of the total pore volume measured by mercury porosimeter intrusion measured on the sample minus the value of the total pore volume measured by mercury porosimeter intrusion measured on the same sample for a pressure corresponding to 30 psi (about 0.2 MPa).

The macroporous volume of the catalyst is defined as the cumulative volume of mercury introduced at a pressure of between 0.2 MPa and 30 MPa, corresponding to the volume contained in the pores with an apparent diameter greater than 50 nm. The mesoporous volume of the catalyst is defined as the cumulative volume of mercury introduced at a pressure of between 30 MPa and 400 MPa, corresponding to the volume contained in the pores with an apparent diameter of between 2 and 50 nm. Another subject of the invention is the use of a catalyst comprising at least the tantalum element, the aldolisant co-element and at least one mesosporous oxide matrix for converting a feedstock comprising at least ethanol into butadiene, results in significant performance benefits in terms of productivity and selectivity. The representative conditions for this reaction (conditions for which better productivity and better selectivity are observed) are a temperature of between 300 and 400 ° C., preferably between 320 ° C. and 380 ° C., a pressure of between 0.15 and 0.5 MPa, preferably between 0.15 and 0.3 MPa, a space velocity of between 0.5 and 5 h ^-1 , preferably between 1 and 4 h ^-1 and, in the case of the "two-step" process wherein the feedstock comprises ethanol and acetaldehyde, an ethanol acetaldehyde mass ratio of between 1 and 30, preferably between 2 and 10. The space velocity is defined as the ratio between the mass flow rate of feed and the mass of catalyst.

The invention is illustrated by means of the following examples.

Examples

Description of the dry impregnation method for the deposition of tantalum

The basic silicic carrier before the impregnation steps is the Davisil grade 636 silica product (SBET ~ 500 m ² / g, Vp "0.9 ml / g and φ" 7 nm, particle size: 200-500 microns).

Tantalum pentaethoxide (Ta (OCH ₂ CH ₃ ) 5) (the amount of which is calculated from the content of Ta to be deposited on the support) is diluted in an ethanol solution (the amount of which is proportional to the pore volume silicic carrier). This solution is rapidly added dropwise and mixed with the silicic carrier until a wettability of the surface of the latter is observed (dry impregnation). The solid is then placed in a saturated ethanol atmosphere for 3 hours, dried at 100 ° C. for 24 hours. The catalyst is obtained by calcining the dried solid under air at 550 ° C. for 4 hours.

Description of the dry impregnation method for depositing other elements

The precursor of the element to be deposited, the quantity of which is calculated from the content of the element to be deposited on the support, is diluted in an aqueous solution the quantity of which is proportional to the pore volume of the silicic support. This solution is rapidly added dropwise to the silicic carrier until a wettability of the surface of the latter is observed (dry impregnation). The solid is then placed in an atmosphere saturated with water for 3 hours, dried at 100 ° C. for 24 hours. The catalyst is obtained by calcining the dried solid under air at 550 ° C. for 4 hours. Element to be deposited Precursor used

Nb C ₄ H ₄ NNb0 ₉ . 5H ₂ 0

Zr ZrOCl ₂ . 8H ₂ 0

Zn Zn (N0 ₃ ) ₂ · 6H ₂ O

Ag AgNO ₃

Ca Ca (N <¾) ₂ . 4H ₂ 0

Ba Ba (N <¾) ₂

Mg Mg (N0 ₃ ) ₂ . 6H ₂ 0

This Ce (N0 ₃ ) ₃ . 6H ₂ 0

The La (N0 ₃ ) ₃ · 6H ₂ 0

Sn SnCl ₃

Cs CsN0 ₃

In In (N0 ₃ ) ₃

Mo (NH ₄ ) ₆ Mo _v 0 ₂₄ -4H ₂ O

Description of the catalytic test unit

The reactor used in the following examples consists of a stainless steel tube 20 cm long and 10 mm in diameter. The reactor is first loaded with carborundum and then with the catalyst diluted in carborundum and finally with carborundum. Carborundum is inert to the charge and does not affect catalytic results; it makes it possible to position the catalyst in the isothermal zone of the reactor and to limit the risks of problems of transfer of heat and material. The temperature of the reactor is controlled with a tubular furnace with three heating zones. The liquid feed (mixture of ethanol and acetaldehyde in a ratio R) is injected via a double piston HPLC pump. The liquid stream is vaporized in the heated lines by a tracer before entering the reactor and is homogenized by passing through a static mixer. The products formed during the reaction are maintained in the vapor phase for online analysis by gas chromatography (PONA capillary columns and Carboxen 1010) to allow the most accurate identification of the hundreds of products formed. The catalyst is activated in situ under nitrogen at the test temperature. The specific operating conditions are described in the following examples.

Definition of terms Conversion (% wt):

mass flow rate of ethanol at the outlet + mass flow rate of acetaldehyde at the outlet.

conversion = 100 * (1- mass flow of ethanol input + mass flow of acetaldehyde inlet Selectivity (% C): mass flow of carbon belonging to butadiene (-)

mass flow rate of carbon belonging to the converted load

EXAMPLE 1 Comparison in the Absence of Tantalum of the Behavior of the Aldosteric Co-Elements in Contact with a Low Acetaldehyde Filler

In this test example, the ethanol acetaldehyde ratio of the feedstock is set at 24 molar mol, the temperature at 350 ° C. and the pressure at 1.5 bar. For each catalyst, the feed rate is adjusted to obtain a stable conversion of 45%. The carbon selectivity values are measured at this operating point after a time under load of 2 hours.

The co-element (Ca, Ba, Ce, Mg, Sn), if not associated with tantalum, is not capable under the test conditions of selectively producing butadiene compared with the tantalum catalyst, but behaves mainly as an aldolization catalyst.

Example 2 Comparison in the Presence of Tantalum of the Impact of Co-elements in Contact with a Low Acetaldehyde Load with Change in Charge Flow

In this example, the Ethanol / Acetaldehyde ratio of the feed is set at 24 mol / mol, the temperature at 350 ° C. and the pressure at 1.5 bar. For each catalyst, the feed rate is adjusted to obtain a stable conversion of 45%. The selectivity values are measured at this operating point after 2 and 48 hours of testing. According to catalyst Element Co-Element Element Selectivity Loss of main invention additional additional element in selectivity production of aldolizer 1 (% wt) 2 (% wt) butadiene to butadiene (% wt) initial butadiene

(% wt) after 2 after 48h hours

comparative A Ta (2%) - Zn (1%) - 68% 1 yes F Ta (2%) Ca (0.5%) Zn (l%) - 68% 0.3

Yes G Ta (2%) Ca (1.5%) Zn (l%) - 66% 0.1

Yes H Ta (2%) Sn (0.25%) Zn (l%) - 66% 0.7

Yes I Ta (2%) Sn (0.75%) Zn (l%) - 66% 0.4

Yes J Ta (2%) This (0.25%) Zn (l%) - 65% 0.5

Yes K Ta (2%) This (0.75%) Zn (l%) - 66% 0.8

Yes L Ta (2%) Mg (0.5%) Zn (l%) - 67% 0.2 no M Ta (2%) The (0.75%) Zn (l%) - 66% 1.1 no N Ta (2%) In (0.75%) Zn (l%) - 59% 1.5 no O Ta (2%) Mo (0.75%) Zn (1%) - 60% 1.4 comparative A Ta (2%) - Zn (2%) - 67% 2.9

Yes P Ta (2%) Sn (0.25%) Zn (2%) - 67% 2.2

Yes Q Ta (2%) Ce (0.25%) Zn (2%) - 66% 2.3

No R Ta (2%) The (0.25%) Zn (2%) - 66% 3.1

No S Ta (2%) The (0.75%) Zn (2%) - 65% 3.9 comparative T Ta (2%) - Zn (l%) Cs (0.2%) 69% 1.3

Yes u Ta (2%) Ca (0.25%) Zn (1%) Cs (0.2%) 69% 0.6 Comparative V Ta (2%) - Ag (2.5%) 67% 6.8

Yes w Ta (2%) Ce (0.25%) Ag (2.5%) 66% 3.1

Yes X Ta (2%) Mg Ag (2.5%) 67% 2.8

(0.75%)

This example demonstrates that the presence of suitable co-elements (Ca, Ba, Ce, Mg, Sn), when combined with tantalum, makes it possible to maintain the level of butadiene selectivity at a stable and high value over a longer period of time. period of time. Example 3 Comparison with an Acalaldehyde-poor Filler of the Impact of Aldosteric Co-elements in the Presence of Another Butadiene Production Element Than Tantalum

In this example, the Ethanol / Acetaldehyde ratio of the feed is set at 24 mol / mol, the temperature at 350 ° C. and the pressure at 1.5 bar. For each catalyst, the feed rate is adjusted to achieve stable conversion

. The selectivity values are measured at this operating point after 2 and 48 hours of

Only the tantalum element seems to benefit from the contribution of the aldolisant co-element. When the catalyst contains only another element of production of butadiene such as zirconium, the impact of the co-element is zero or negative.

EXAMPLE 4 Comparison in the Presence of Tantalum of the Impact of Co-elements in Contact with a Low Acetaldehyde Load with Temperature Variation

In this example, the ethanol acetaldehyde ratio of the feed is set at 24 (mol / mol), the test start temperature at 350 ° C. and the pressure at 1.5 bar. For each catalyst, the feed rate is set to achieve 45% conversion. The maintenance of the conversion is this time ensured by a regular increase of the temperature of the reactor. The selectivity values are measured after 5 and 72 hours of testing.

According to catalyst Main element Co-element Element Selectivity Loss of the invention of production of the additional aldolisant of selectivity butadiene (% wt) (% wt) (% wt) catalyst after 72h after 5h

comparative A Ta (2%) - Zn (l%) 69.3 2.2

Yes F Ta (2%) Ca (0.5%) Zn (l%) 66.4 0.2

Yes AG Ta (2%) Sn (2%) Zn (l%) 69.5 1.6

Yes AH Ta (2%) Mg (1.5%) Zn (l%) 67.5 1.4 This example demonstrates that the presence of suitable co-elements, when associated with tantalum, makes it possible to maintain the level of selectivity at a stable and high value over a longer period of time and temperature. EXAMPLE 5 Comparison in the Absence of Tantalum of the Behavior of the Aldosteric Co-Elements in Contact with a Filler Rich in Acetaldehyde

In this example, the Ethanol / Acetaldehyde ratio of the feed is set at 2.5 (mol / mol), the temperature at 350 ° C. and the pressure at 1.5 bar. For each catalyst, the feed rate is adjusted to achieve a stable conversion of 25%. The carbon selectivity values are measured at this operating point after a 2 hour charge time.

The co-element, if not associated with tantalum, is not capable under the test conditions of selectively producing butadiene compared to the tantalum catalyst, but behaves primarily as an aldol catalyst.

Example 6 Comparison in the Presence of Tantalum of the Impact of Co-elements in Contact with an Acalaldehyde-Rich Filler with Change in Charge Flow

In this example, the Ethanol / Acetaldehyde ratio of the feed is set at 2.5 (mol / mol), the temperature at 350 ° C. and the pressure at 1.5 bar. For each catalyst, the feed rate is adjusted to obtain a stable conversion of 44%. The carbon selectivity values are measured at this operating point after a time under load of 2 and 48 hours. According to catalyst Main element Co- Element Performance Loss of the invention of production of the addtional element of the butadiene selectivity catalyst (% wt) aldolisant (% wt) after 2h after 48h

(Wt%)

comparative AN Ta (5%) - - 71% 0.8 yes AO Ta (5%) Ca (0.1%) - 71% 0.2 comparative AP Ta (0.5%) - Nb (0.25%) 74% 0.7 yes AQ Ta ( 0.5%) Ca (0.1%) Nb (0.25%) 73% 0.2

This example demonstrates that the presence of suitable co-elements, when associated with tantalum, makes it possible to maintain the level of selectivity at a stable and high value over a longer period of time. Example 7 Comparison in the Presence of Tantalum of the Impact of Co-elements in Contact with an Acetaldehyde-Rich Filler with Temperature Variation

In this example, the Ethanol / Acetaldehyde ratio of the feed is set at 2.5 (mol / mol), the temperature at 350 ° C. and the pressure at 1.5 bar. For each catalyst, the feed rate is adjusted to achieve a stable conversion of 35%. The selectivity values are measured at this operating point after a load time of 5 and 72 hours.

This example demonstrates that the presence of suitable co-elements, when associated with tantalum, makes it possible to maintain the level of selectivity at a stable and high value over a longer period of time and temperature.

Claims

A catalyst comprising at least the tantalum element, at least one aldolising element selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, barium, cerium and tin and mixtures thereof, and at least one mesoporous oxide matrix comprising at least one at least one oxide of an element X selected from silicon, titanium and their mixtures, the tantalum mass being between 0.1 and 30% of the mass of the mesoporous oxide matrix, the mass of aldolising element being between 0.02 and 4% of the mass of the mesoporous oxide matrix.

The catalyst of claim 1 wherein said aldolising element is selected from the group consisting of calcium and barium and mixtures thereof.

3. Catalyst according to one of claims 1 to 2 also comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of the elements of groups 1, 4 and 5 of the periodic table, the mass of said element representing between 0.01 and 5% of the mass of the mesoporous oxide matrix.

4. Catalyst according to claim 3, also comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of the element Cs and the element Nb and mixtures thereof, the mass of said element representing between 0.01 and 5% of the mass of the matrix. mesoporous oxide.

5. Catalyst according to one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said oxide matrix is mesostructured.

6. Catalyst according to one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said mesoporous oxide matrix comprises a silicon oxide having a specific surface area of 100 to 1200 m ² / g, a mesoporous volume of between 0.2 and 1.8 ml / g and a mesopore diameter of between 4 and 50 nm.

7. Catalyst according to one of claims 1 to 6 also comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of the elements of groups 11 and 12 of the periodic table and mixtures thereof, the mass of said element representing between 0.5 and 10% the mass of said mesoporous oxide matrix.

8. Catalyst according to claim 7 also comprising at least the Zn element, the mass of said element representing between 0.5 and 10% of the mass of said mesoporous oxide matrix.

9. Use of the catalyst according to one of claims 1 to 8 for converting a feedstock comprising at least ethanol into butadiene at a temperature between 300 and 400 ° C, a pressure between 0, 15 and 0 , 5 MPa, a space velocity of between 0.5 and 5 hr ^-1 .

10. Use according to claim 9 wherein the temperature is between 320 ° C and 380 ° C.

11. Use according to one of claims 9 to 10 wherein the pressure is between 0.15 and 0.3 MPa.

12. Use according to one of claims 9 to 11 wherein the space velocity is between 1 and 4 h ¹ .