Methods of Manufacturing Acetone

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Methods of Manufacturing Acetone

The Chemical Blog

Its been estimated recently that more than 5 million tonnes of

acetone are produced every year, mainly in the USA, Taiwan and
China. Although the main producers opt to follow the cumene
process, producing both acetone and phenol, there are a variety of
other ways to produce this chemical.
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1. Anaerobic Fermentation of Corn Products by

Clostridium Acetobutylicum
This is the most interesting process, albeit the least effective. It was
the first method to be developed to produce acetone, relying on
agricultural waste products. Anaerobic fermentation of various corn
products by members of the Clostridium family generates
n-butanol, acetone and ethanol in a ratio 6-3-1. Clostridium
acetobutylicum is the most efficient, but others strains can also be
used. Following the main reactions, products can be recovered by
steam distillation and then fractionated into individual components.

2. Catalytic Dehydrogenation or Oxidation of

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Methods of Manufacturing Acetone

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2-Propanol
This process replaced the bacterial fermentation as a more reliable
way to produce acetone in the 1920s, but now has also been
replaced itself by the cumene process. Although both oxidation and
dehydrogenation are viable, industry favours the latter, as it is
easier to control. This method starts with the hydration of
propylene, to generate 2-propanol, which is subsequently
dehydrogenated to form acetone and water, in the presence of
catalysts.

3. Dry Distillation of Calcium Acetate

This is now considered an old-fashioned method, but was very
popular during WWI. In this method, acetone is produced by dry
distillation of calcium acetate at high temperature, in a ketonic
decarboxylation reaction. Although less popular, barium acetate
can also be used.

4. Catalytic Oxidation of Cumene (Hock Process)

This is the most common method used today, with almost 90% of
all acetone produced in this manner. In this process, benzene is
alkylated with propylene to generate cumene (isopropyl benzene),
which is subsequently oxidised producing cumene hydroperoxide,
and cleaved in the presence of phosphoric or sulphuric acid or
zeolite catalysts. The final step involves recovery of acetone and
phenol by distillation. For every tonne of phenol produced, this
process generates about 0.6 tonnes of acetone.

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5. Catalytic Dehydrogenation or Oxidation of

Isopropyl Alcohol
Acetone can also be produced by catalytic oxidation or
dehydrogenation of isopropyl alcohol, using oxidizing agents,
including chromic acid; or over a heated copper catalyst,
respectively.

6. Oxidation of Diisopropylbenzene
Another way to generate acetone is through oxidation of
m-diisopropylbenzene, generating dihydroperoxide and then
converted by acidic cleavage to acetone and resorcinol. A similar
process with p- diisopropylbenzene generates hydroquinone and
acetone. However, both these methods have not been developed to
produce actetone, which is simply seen as a by-product of these
reactions.
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Amazon.
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