1.

Use of Cr2O3CrX2OX3 as catalyst

The conversion of isopropyl alcohol to acetone has been studied over Cr2O3CrX2OX3 powder at
473 K in a flowing microcatalytic reactor. Appreciable steady-state catalytic activity was achieved
only when oxygen was present in the reactant gas flow. The effect of mild pretreatment
of Cr2O3CrX2OX3 in O2N2OX2NX2 at 473 K on the initial activity, and the observed
dependence of the process on O2OX2pressure has been related to the oxidationreduction cycle of
the surface chromium species. Cr(3+n)+CrX(3+n)+ on the surface of Cr2O3CrX2OX3 have been
considered to be the active species, where n= 13.
2 . Catalytic dehydrogenation of isopropanol

a) Source 1.
Catalytic dehydrogenation of isopropanol can be chosen as an alternative synthetic route when high-
purity acetone is required, such as in biomedical applications. Turton et.al. mentions that a single
pass conversion of 85-92% with respect to isopropanol, with reactor conditions of 2 bar and 350 C,
is generally achieved. A molten salt stream will be used a heat source for the endothermic reaction:

(CH3)2CHOH(CH3)3CO+H2(CHX3)X2CHOH(CHX3)X3CO+HX2
The acetone produced in the reactor passes into a phase separator and then into a separation system
that includes one stripping and two distillation columns. A recycle stream takes a mixture of
unreacted isopropyl alcohol and water, with a trace amount of acetone, back into a mixer that feeds
the reaction system. Using the catalyst which will be employed throughout this analysis, the reaction
is first order with respect to the concentration of isopropanol and has an Arrhenius dependence on
temperature with E=72.38 MJ/kmol and k=351,000 cubic m gas/cubic m reactor sec.
b) Source 2
At the beginning of the process, feed including i-propyl alcohol and water, and recycle stream are
mixed in feed drum. From here, this mixture is send to vaporizer to changestreams phase as vapour.
After vaporizer, mixture is heated to reaction temperature in theheater. Reactor used is a tubular flow
reactor. Acetone, hydrogen gas (H2) are produced andwater and i-propyl-alcohol are discharged. The
mixture with acetone, hydrogen, water, i- propyl-alcohol are sent to cooler and then to condenser.
After condenser the mixture is sent toflash unit. Hydrogen, acetone, i-propyl-alcohol and water are
obtained as top product. This top product is sent to scrubber to remove hydrogen. The bottom
product of flash unit which isformed by acetone, water, i-propyl-alcohol are mixed with the bottom
product of scrubber before acetone column. In acetone column, acetone is obtained from top product
with 99 wt%. i-propyl alcohol and water and also 0.1% of acetone is sent to i-propyl-alcohol column
from bottom product. The top product of this column is sent to feed drum and bottom product is
thrown away as waste water.
3. Using chromic acid
Oxidation at 25' to 40' is accordingly specified, requiring the mixture to be chilled in ice after each
addition of oxidant. In 1926 the writer worked out a student experiment which involves the same
reaction, the oxidation being effected by gradual addition of chromic acid solution to the boiling
solution of isopropyl alcohol in water. The reaction is carried out in a flask surmounted by a short
fractionating column, through which the acetone is distilled during and after the oxidation. The crude
acetone (collected below 65'), and several subsequent fractions, are redistilled through the column,
permitting the easy isolation of a high yield (70% to 80% or more) of acetone boiling 57' to 60' and
over 99% pure, and also the isolation of any unchanged isopropyl alcohol (76' to 82').