The Essential Chemical Industry- online search Ethanoic acid (Acetic acid) ‘There ae few better examples of improvements in the manufacture of chemicals in recent years than that of ethanoic acid CHgCOOH (acetic acid). Up tothe last few years much was manufactured by the non-catalytc oxMation of naphtna which gave large ° woo veritas fsleredhs,nerow vay mance fom etary ve 9% on Uses ethanoic acid (acetic acid) Much ofthe ethanaic acid produced is converted into ethenyl ethanoate (materals-and-applcatonsipantshtmibinder) (vnylacetate) which is the monomer for pol(ethenyltranoate) and etnanoic anhydride (acetic anhydride) which is used princpaly to make cellulose ethanoats Figure 1 The uses of ethanoie ald a fom Mahan Mara Svs 214 Dat tae or 2815 ‘The ac ists the solvent forthe iquid phase oxidation of 1,4-cimethylbenzene (pyle (ipolymersipolyesters him). leading tothe production of povestersFigure 2The road sutace on Nort Francs, has bean ‘made rom copolymers, Including one using ethane and thoy ethanoate. Th oto Is produced tom ehanoe ace yids Annual production of ethanoic acid (acetic acid) [won [12.1 miton tonnes? jenna | 44 millon tonnes? Rest of Asa 2.1 millon tonnes? us. 28 miton tonnes? Eviope | +8 mitton tonnes? Das om 1 Latico ae 2: mii oe 0a i ea 208 aie, 2916 2 pom Tarn Mar Ra 2015 £25 amen of chery Cs 206 “The newly manufactured acid is sometimes known as vigin ethanole acd (virgin ace acd). About another 2 millon tonnes Is reca annually, parulaly from the process leading to polyesters (ipalymersipalyesters him), Manufacture of ethanoic acid (acetic acid) ‘The main route ie rom methanol Methanol /chemicalsimethanolnimlimetnanal) and carbon monoxide, both formed via synthesis gas (Ichemcalslammonia htmifsyn_gas) are reacted together inthe laud phase, with some water to Keep the catalyst in soluton, at moderate temperatures of about 450 K and a pressure of 30 atm: (CHLOM() + CO\a) —* HCOOH) AH 137 Kd ma? ‘A hodumiodine based catalyst system was fst used. The calalyst has recently been improved, based on kum in place of rhodium, the Catva process. Velds of more than 98% ethanole acid are obtained. ‘Figur 3 The menutsctre of thanole ald using the Cave process. {The esto. 2 Disllaton column f remove methanl, water and carbon monoxide Propionic ald Is removed on further astilavon phd perm 8 ‘The main reason forthe improvements that much less waters needed to Keep the ridlum complexin soluton compared wih te amount needed vith the shogium complex. Thus by reducing the consumption of energy on astilaton the cost of pulying the productfalls by an estimated 30%, This means that greenhouse gas emissions are also reduced.‘The two reactants, methanol and carbon monoxide are mixed with tium((V) chloride and hydrochboric acid (Hel) in etvanoic acid which acts 8a solvent. ladomethane, CHI, also added which forms a complex ion, [W{CO}nlsCHs which is considered to be the cruel catalyte species, ‘ruthenium compound is added which acts asa promoter Date last amended: 26th October 2016, fwoege (putnam shpat acini hited [Aninvitation Wie invite you to wite tous fyou have any specie comments about this ste, fr example ‘errors that you have found, suggestions for new topics of for adding tothe existing unis, suggestions for inks to other ses and addtions or allematives to our examples. Ploase send these comments to: eci@essontatchemicalndusty.org(mallo:ec\@essentalchemicalindusty. org) ‘This we site is produced by the Centre for Industry Education Collaboration, non-profit cxganization and an integral pat ofthe Department of (Chemistry, Univers of York, UK. Copyright © 2016 Unversity af York Centre for Industry Education Collaboration, York, UK. Al Rights Reserved,