Table 1.

3: Comparison of 3 synthesis routes

Synthesis Reaction and Conditions Advantages Disadvantages

Route

Carbonylation i) C2H4O + CO → C3H4O  The carbonylation process allows to reach 95%  It is 3-4 times more expensive to produce
of ethylene ii) Catalyst used= [Co(CO)4] conversion of ethylene chlorohydrin. The yield of ethylene oxide by chlorohydrin process than
oxide ethylene oxide is about 80% of the theoretical value by direct oxidation process.
(for 1 ton of ethylene oxide, about 200 kg of  Problem of treating the large waste stream
ethylene dichloride is produced) containing calcium chloride and amounts of
chlorinated hydrocarbons and glycols.
Air-Based i) CH2=CH2 + ½ O2 → CH2-  For small to medium-scale plants, the air based  The volume of carbon dioxide formed is
Direct CH2O investment is smaller about half the volume of ethylene that reacts
Oxidation ii) CH2CH2 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + at a catalyst selectivity of 70-80%.
Process 2H2O  The need for complete removal of
iii) CH2CH2O +5/2O2→ 2CO2 ethylene oxide by absorption, and the
+ 2H2O accumulation of nitrogen in the cycle, the
air process requires a substantial purge
stream.
Oxygen- i) CH2=CH2 + ½O2 → CH2-  The oxygen-based process uses substantially pure
Based Direct CH2O O2, reduces the quantities of inert gases introduced
Oxidation ii) CH2CH2 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + into the cycle, and thereby results in almost
Process 2H2O complete recycle of the unconverted.
iii) CH2CH2O +5/2O2→ 2CO2  Using silver catalyst selectivity of 80% with a
+ 2H2O yield of 70% and conversion of ethylene 10% while
conversion of oxygen is 50% to maximize the
production and efficiency.
SYNTHESIS ROUTE

1) CARBONYLATION OF ETHYLENE OXIDE

The carbonylation of ethylene oxide in producing acrylic acid were developed due to
preparation of pure crude propylene is relatively inconvenient and costly (Evans et al,
2015). There are two fundamental reactions that are involved in the production of acrylic
acid by the carbonylation process that are:
i) Combination of ethylene oxide with carbon monoxide to produce β-propiolactone

C2H4O + CO → β-propiolactone

i) Acid-Catalyzed Rearrangement of β-propiolactone

β-propiolactone → C3H4O

(Campos, Jun, & Puranmalka, 2014)

2) POLYPROPIOLACTONE
This production method was developed to transport or store acrylic acid in a safe and
energy efficient manner. Actually, this method provides an alternative route to acrylic
acid production that does not depend on propylene oxidation. The reaction involved is as
follows.
i) Carbonylation of ethylene oxide
ii) Propiolactone to polymerizing beta propiolactone (BPL)
iii) Pyrolysis of polypropiolactone (Place, 2013)
 3) ETHYLENE CYANOHYDRIN METHOD
This process involves the acidic hydrolysis and dehydration of ethylene cyanohydrin
(from ethylene oxide and hydrogen cyanide) and the removal of the product from the
reaction mixture by distillation.

4) CARBONYLATION OF ACETYLENE
Carbonylation of acetylene in the presence of water, and more particularly, to an
improved method of producing acrylic acid in a novel aqueous reaction medium
containing an activated carbonylation catalyst.

PROFIT MARGIN

Based on the statistic I have found, the production of Acrylic Acid are produced 5 million metric
ton in 2013 with the worth of $8 billion dollar with forecast of growth of 4.2% per year until
2018.

Thus production of Acrylic Acid per metric ton cost about $1600 dollar and with 4.2% of
increment per year, was about $67.2 dollar per metric ton which are at 2018 are about $2000
dollar per metric ton of Acrylic Acid.

The demand for Acrylic Acid also increases about 5-6 million ton, thus the production product
would cost around $120 billion dollar deduct with the raw material required to produce the
product, we still have a margin of about $110 billion dollar.

The raw material cost about $19565031 consist of CO2 Removal solvents/MEA, Carbon
Monoxide, MEHQ, and Oxygen.