Question

A fictional company has been producing propene oxide, C3H6O, from propene, C3H6, with a 96.0%yield. The process requires the use of a compound called m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid, C7H5O3Cl, which can be abbreviated as mCPBA. The entire reaction takes place in the solvent dichloromethane, CH2Cl2:

C3H6+C7H5O3ClCH2Cl2−−−⟶96.0% yieldC3H6O+C7H5O2Cl

The initial propene concentration in the solvent is 21.0 g/L.

Consider the prices of the following substances.

Substance	Price per unit	Unit
propene	$10.97	kg
dichloromethane	$2.12	L
mCPBA	$5.28	kg
propene oxide	$258.25	kg

Also consider that the cost of waste disposal is $5.00 per kilogram of propene oxide produced.

Part A

A relatively simple way of estimating profit is to consider the the difference between the cost (the total spent on materials and waste disposal) and the earnings (the price at which the product can be sold).Calculate the profit from producing 67.00 kg of propene oxide.

Alternative method

The company is developing a "greener" method of making propene oxide from propene using hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, in supercritical water with a vanadium catalyst. In the reaction 1.00 kg of vanadium catalyst and 32.0 kg of water are used for each kilogram of propene. 75 % of the vanadium catalyst can be collected and reused in a subsequent batch:

C3H6+H2O2V, H2O−−−⟶89.0% yieldC3H6O+H2O

Consider the prices of the following substances.

Substance	Price per unit	Unit
propene	$10.97	kg
hydrogen peroxide	$1.96	kg
vanadium catalyst	$57.50	kg
supercritical water	$1.85	kg
propene oxide	$258.25	kg

There is virtually no waste produced with this green process and there is no waste disposal fee, but the yield is only 89.0%.

Part B

Calculate the profit from producing 67.00 kg of propene oxide by this alternative green process.

Answer 1

Part A.

                                                                                    CH2Cl2

                                   C3H6     +      mCPBA        ------------------------>     C3H6O      +    mCBA

cost ($)                     10.97/kg           5.28/kg                2.12/L                 258.25/kg           5/kg

FW (g/mol)                 42.08              172.57                                                58.08            156.57

mols                          1.2017             1.2017                                               1.2017           1.2017

Initial mass (kg)          50.56              207.38                 2.41 L                      67.00            188.15

Actual cost ($)           554.64           1094.95                 5.10                    17302.75           940.75   

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Total profit = $ 14707.31 would be th profit to make 67 g of propenoxide with 96% yield    

Part B.

                                                                                            H2O

                                   C3H6     +       H2O2     +      V      --------->     C3H6O      +     V

cost ($/kg)                  10.97               1.96            57.50                      258.25           57.50

FW (g/mol)                 42.08              34.01                                           58.08           

mols                          1.2960            1.2960                                        1.2960          

Initial mass (kg)          54.54              44.08                 54.54                67.0             40.905

Actual cost ($)           598.3               86.40               3136.05           17302.75         1764.03   

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Total profit = $ 15276.03 would be th profit to make 67 g of propenoxide with 89% yield