| abstract |
Provided herein are heterogeneous catalysts suitable for use in carbonylation reactions, including the production of acrylic acid from ethylene oxide and carbon monoxide on an industrial scale. The production may involve various unit operations, including, for example: a beta-propiolactone production system configured to produce beta-propiolactone from ethylene oxide and carbon monoxide; a polypropiolactone production system configured to produce polypropiolactone from beta-propiolactone; and an acrylic acid production system configured to produce acrylic acid with a high purity by thermolysis of polypropiolactone. The catalyst comprises (a) a solid support, (b) a metal-ligand complex, preferably aluminium salen, -porphyrin or -phthalocyanin entities (c) an anionic metal carbonyl moiety, preferably [Co(CO)4](-)], and (d) a linker moiety, preferably an aminoalkylsiloxane like APTES or a sulfonyl group connecting the metal-ligand complex to a support such as silica. Alternatively the catalyst comprises a porous support such as a zeolite and the metal-ligand complex is encapsulated in the pores. |