ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 7 -- United States Patent no. 12,595,223, issued on April 7, was assigned to Eastman Chemical Co. (Kingsport, Tenn.).
"Propionic acid process" was invented by Damon Ray Billodeaux (White Oak, Texas), Kenneth Wayne Hampton Jr. (Kilgore, Texas) and Carey Dan Ashcroft (Longview, Texas).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Provided is a one-pot process for preparing propionic acid, which comprises (i) treating ethylene with a C1-C6 alkanol, water, and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst system comprising the reaction product of (a) a Group 8 to 10 transition metal compound such as a palladium or ruthenium compound; and (b) an activating anion, at elevated temperature and...