Propylene Epoxidation with Cumene Hydroperoxide/Titanosilicates

Propylene epoxidation with organic cumene hydroxide over Ti-doped mesoporous catalysts, that is, the cumene hydroperoxide to propylene oxide (CMHPPO) process, has been successfully industrialized by Sumitomo Chemical Co. in Japan. The advantages of this process are closely related with three unique aspects of titanosilicate catalysts, including the mesopore channel, tetrahedral Ti sites, and hydrophobicity. This chapter will briefly introduce the industrial production history of propylene oxide, catalysts design for PO-only CMHPPO process, and the industrial process implemented by Sumitomo.