Heterogeneous Solid Acid Catalyst for Ester Thiol Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional method for producing ester thiol compounds using homogeneous catalysts requires a complex purification process, leading to additional costs and environmental pollution, and can result in impurities that affect the quality of optical resins.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using a heterogeneous solid acid catalyst, such as a superstrong acid mesoporous material, to produce ester thiol compounds, which simplifies the production process, allows for catalyst reuse, and reduces wastewater generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a homogeneous catalyst is used in the esterification method, then the ester thiol compound can be produced, but a special purification process is required to remove the catalyst, leading to additional process costs and large amounts of wastewater generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the catalyst from homogeneous (liquid) to heterogeneous (solid), fundamentally altering the catalyst's properties. This transformation enables simple filtration to separate the catalyst from the reaction mixture, eliminating complex purification processes and reducing wastewater generation while maintaining catalytic effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The solid acid catalyst can be easily separated from the reaction mixture through filtration and reused multiple times. This recovery approach eliminates the need to dispose of catalyst-containing wastewater, reducing both purification complexity and environmental impact while lowering process costs
2Manufacturing precision
If a homogeneous catalyst is used in the esterification method, then the ester thiol compound can be produced, but some catalyst may remain in the product, causing striae, white turbidity, yellowing, etc. in optical resins
Solution Approach 1:
By transforming the catalyst into a heterogeneous solid acid catalyst, the patent enables complete physical separation through filtration. This eliminates residual catalyst contamination in the ester thiol compound, ensuring high optical resin quality without requiring complex purification processes
Solution Approach 2:
The solid acid catalyst is easily extracted from the reaction mixture through simple filtration. This complete removal prevents any catalyst residue from remaining in the ester thiol compound, thereby avoiding defects such as striae, white turbidity, and yellowing in the final optical resin products
3Productivity
If a heterogeneous solid acid catalyst is used, then the purification process is simplified and catalyst reuse is enabled, but the selection of appropriate catalyst material becomes more critical
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies solid acid catalysts with particular properties (acid strength, pore structure, surface area) to optimize both production efficiency and catalyst versatility. By defining these parameters, the patent enables high productivity through catalyst reuse while maintaining adaptability across different esterification reactions
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional esterification method is used, then the process is well-established, but additional process costs occur due to special purification requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the catalyst system from homogeneous to heterogeneous, maintaining the well-established esterification process framework while eliminating costly purification steps. This parameter change enables simple filtration and catalyst reuse, significantly reducing process costs without sacrificing process reliability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the efficiency and quality of ester thiol compound production, reduces process costs, and minimizes environmental impact, resulting in high-yield, high-quality products suitable for optical materials.
Implementation Method 1
reacting a polyalcohol of Formula (1) and a mercaptocarboxylic acid of Formula (2) by using a heterogeneous solid acid catalyst
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing an ester thiol compound of Formula 3 below includes: reacting a polyalcohol of Formula 1 below and a mercaptocarboxylic acid of Formula 2 below by using a catalyst, wherein the catalyst is prepared by introducing superstrong acid into mesoporous materials with pore diameter ranging from 2 to 10 nm:wherein, R1 and R2 are each independently H or CH3, l is an integer of 0 to 2, m is an integer of 1 to 4, and n is an integer of 0 to 3.