Lesson plan
Halcon process
In chemistry, the Halcon process refers to technology for the production of propylene oxide by oxidation of propylene with tert-butyl hydroperoxide. The reaction requires metal catalysts, which typically contain molybdenum: :(CH 3 ) 3 COOH + CH 2 =CHCH 3 → (CH 3 ) 3 COH + CH 2 OCHCH 3 The byproduct tert-butanol is recycled or converted to other useful compounds. The process once operated at the scale of >2 billion kg/y. The lighter analogue of propylene oxide, ethylene oxide, is produced by silver-catalyzed reaction of ethylene with oxygen. Attempts to implement this relatively simple technology to the conversion of propylene to propylene oxide fail. Instead only combustion predominates. The problems are attributed to the sensitivity of allylic C-H bonds.
Article summary
In chemistry, the Halcon process refers to technology for the production of propylene oxide by oxidation of propylene with tert-butyl hydroperoxide. The reaction requires metal catalysts, which typically contain molybdenum: :(CH 3 ) 3 COOH + CH 2 =CHCH 3 → (CH 3 ) 3 COH + CH 2 OCHCH 3 The byproduct tert-butanol is recycled or converted to other useful compounds. The process once operated at the scale of >2 billion kg/y. The lighter analogue of propylene oxide, ethylene oxide, is produced by silver-catalyzed reaction of ethylene with oxygen. Attempts to implement this relatively simple technology to the conversion of propylene to propylene oxide fail. Instead only combustion predominates. The problems are attributed to the sensitivity of allylic C-H bonds.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.