イソプロピルアルコール製造技術の変遷

抄録

Isopropanol was originally produced by indirect hydration of propylene using sulfuric acid. This method has still been applied by many factories ever since 1920. But the problems of corrosion, a high heat requirement and pollution called for the deveropment of direct hydration routes. A great number of research have been done on direct hydration of propylene for many years. It is quite lately, however, that Vaba Chemie, Deutsche Texaco and Tokuyama Soda have independently developed new economical direct hydration methods and applied them to the commercial production of isopropanol.
Reportedly, Vaba Chemie's gas-phase hydration process employs a fixed-bed of supported phosphoric acid catalyst. Deutsche Texaco's process works in vapor-liquid mixed phase using a cation exchange resin catalyst. Tokuyama Soda's liquid-phase hydration method adopts a tungsten-type solution catalyst system.
It is expected that these three processes will be greatly helpfull in promoting the technology shift from indirect method to direct one for isopropanol manufacturing.