Production of ethanol from methanol

Patent · Tue Sep 18 04:00:00 EDT 1979

OSTI ID:5758320

Slinkard, W E; Baylis, A B

The patent describes an improvement in a liquid phase reaction process wherein methanol is reacted, at elevated temperatures and super-atmospheric pressures and in the presence of a cobalt carbonyl catalyst, with carbon monoxide and hydrogen to produce ethanol. The improvement is a result of performing the reaction in a liquid solvent in which the methanol and cobalt carbonyl catalyst are soluble under reaction conditions. The solvent must be an oxygenated hydrocarbon which is free of carboxyl and aldehyde groups. Of the solvents which may be utilized in the process, the ethers, especially the monocyclic, heterocyclic ethers are preferred. 1,4-Dioxane is an especially preferred solvent. 3 claims.

• Assignee: Celanese Corp.
• Patent Number(s): US 4168391
• OSTI ID: 5758320
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

090221* -- Alcohol Fuels-- Chemical Synthesis-- (1976-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
ALCOHOLS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBONYLS
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COBALT COMPOUNDS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DIOXANE
ELEMENTS
ETHANOL
FLUIDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LIQUIDS
METHANOL
MODIFICATIONS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SOLVENTS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
PRODUCTION
SOLVENTS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS