Breakthrough in Acetone Production: Economical, Safer, and Simplified Methodology Introduced

Scientists have unveiled a novel, more cost-effective, and safer technique for acetone production, which leverages light and a photoactive catalyst of iron chloride. This method simplifies the manufacturing process and eliminates the necessity for operations at elevated temperatures and pressures. The advance has the potential to transform acetone production by harnessing solar energy, thereby enhancing industrial scalability, safety, and environmental sustainability.

Traditionally, acetone, a vital raw material in the chemical industry, is produced through a multifaceted and hazardous procedure. A collaborative effort between researchers in Brazil and Germany has led to a more environmentally benign method for acetone production.

In the chemical industry, acetone serves a crucial function as an essential ingredient in a wide array of products, ranging from adhesives and antibiotics to electronic components, solvents, paint strippers, inks, and even vitamins. However, the conventional methods of producing acetone are not only complicated but also perilous. To address these issues, scientists from Brazil and Germany have engineered a new method that solely relies on light and photoactive iron chloride (FeCl3), a relatively inexpensive chemical compound.

The research, financed by FAPESP, has been recently published in the journal ACS Catalysis.

In standard procedures, known as the Hock or cumene process, acetone production involves multiple steps. Initially, propane, a by-product of petroleum, is transformed into propylene, a highly combustible gas. This is then reacted with benzene, followed by a reaction with oxygen under extreme conditions of temperature and pressure to produce acetone. The reaction also yields phenol, a less in-demand compound that can be converted to more valuable substances, albeit at a high cost.

The novel method was developed by researchers affiliated with the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) and the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Brazil, in conjunction with scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Germany. Their approach involves the oxidation of propane through a photocatalytic reaction using iron chloride as a homogenous catalyst in the presence of light.

Ivo Freitas Teixeira, a professor at UFSCar’s Department of Chemistry and the study’s concluding author, stated, “Upon exposure to certain wavelengths of light, iron chloride generates radical chlorine, a powerful oxidant. This cleaves the bond between carbon and hydrogen, leading, in the presence of oxygen, to the creation of acetone.” He added that the reaction is notably unique, simpler, and achieved through basic elements.

Evidence supporting that chlorine radicals instigated by Fe-Cl photolysis genuinely drive the reaction was substantiated by mechanistic studies, including mass spectrometry.

One notable advantage of this new methodology is that it is a direct process, thereby bypassing the intermediary production of propylene. Furthermore, it is safer as it avoids high-temperature, high-pressure oxygen reactions and the use of hazardous, flammable intermediates. It is also more energy-efficient and cost-effective since it requires fewer steps and can occur at room temperature (25 °C).

During the experimental phase, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were used as the light source. However, the scientists aim to utilize sunlight in future applications, enhancing the method’s sustainability even further.

Patent Filing and Future Prospects

A patent application has been submitted to Brazil’s National Industrial Property Institute (INPI), and discussions are underway with companies for potential commercialization of this groundbreaking technology. Teixeira noted that this could completely disrupt the chemical industry’s traditional acetone production methods, improving safety and environmental sustainability while reducing costs and bolstering competitiveness.

The primary challenges, Teixeira stated, lie in the extensive scale of petrochemical processes and the absence of commercial photocatalysis techniques currently in the market.

The researchers are continuing to advance the study in two directions: exploring the method’s efficacy with other substances like methane and devising strategies to scale up the process to improve industrial production and yields.

The research was supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation and was published under the title “Direct Synthesis of Acetone by Aerobic Propane Oxidation Promoted by Photoactive Iron(III) Chloride under Mild Conditions” in ACS Catalysis, with DOI 10.1021/acscatal.3c02092, dated 15 June 2023.

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More about Breakthrough in Acetone Production

• ACS Catalysis Journal
• São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
• Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar)
• Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG)
• Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces
• National Industrial Property Institute (INPI) – Brazil
• Traditional Acetone Production Methods
• Photocatalysis Overview