Research Article

Glycerin as a Renewable Feedstock for Epichlorohydrin Production. The GTE Process

  1. Bruce M. Bell,
  2. John R. Briggs,
  3. Robert M. Campbell,
  4. Susanne M. Chambers,
  5. Phil D. Gaarenstroom,
  6. Jeffrey G. Hippler,
  7. Bruce D. Hook,
  8. Kenneth Kearns,
  9. John M. Kenney,
  10. William J. Kruper,
  11. D. James Schreck,
  12. Curt N. Theriault,
  13. Charles P. Wolfe

Article first published online: 5 AUG 2008

DOI: 10.1002/clen.200800067

Issue

CLEAN – Soil, Air, Water

CLEAN – Soil, Air, Water

Special Issue: Feedstocks for the Future: Renewables in Green Chemistry

Volume 36, Issue 8, pages 657–661, August 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Bell, B. M., Briggs, J. R., Campbell, R. M., Chambers, S. M., Gaarenstroom, P. D., Hippler, J. G., Hook, B. D., Kearns, K., Kenney, J. M., Kruper, W. J., Schreck, D. J., Theriault, C. N. and Wolfe, C. P. (2008), Glycerin as a Renewable Feedstock for Epichlorohydrin Production. The GTE Process. Clean Soil Air Water, 36: 657–661. doi: 10.1002/clen.200800067

Author Information

  1. The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI, USA.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 5 AUG 2008
  2. Article first published online: 5 AUG 2008
  3. Manuscript Revised: 9 APR 2008
  4. Manuscript Received: 12 MAR 2008

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Keywords:

  • Glycerin;
  • Renewable;
  • Feedstock;
  • Green Chmistry;
  • Epichlorohydrin Production

Abstract

A significant improvement in a process to produce epichlorohydrin through the use of glycerin as renewable feedstock is presented. The glycerin to epichlorohydrin (GTE) process proceeds in two chemical steps. In the first step, glycerin is hydrochlorinated with hydrogen chloride gas at elevated temperature and pressure to a mixture of 1,3-DCH (1,3-dichlorohydrin, 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol) and 2,3-DCH (2,3-dichlorohydrin, 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol), using a carboxylic acid catalyst. In the second step, the mixture of dichlorohydrins is converted to epichlorohydrin with a base. This solventless process represents an economically and environmentally advantageous, atom-efficient process to an existing commodity chemical that can employ a renewable resource for its primary feedstock.

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