Heterogeneous catalyst for the production of acetic anhydride from methyl acetate

Abstract From the Canadian patent

This invention relates to a process for producing acetic anhydride by the reaction of methyl acetate, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen at elevated temperatures and pressures in the presence of an alkyl halide and a heterogeneous bifunctional catalyst, that contains an insoluble polymer having pendant quaternized phosphine groups some, of which phosphine groups are ionically bonded to anionic Group VIII metal complexes the remainder of the phosphine groups being bonded to iodide. In contrast to prior art processes, no accelerator (promoter) is necessary to achieve the catalytic reaction and the products are easily separated from the catalyst by filtration. The catalyst can be recycled for …