High octane ethers from synthesis gas-derived alcohol

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6273875

Klier, K; Herman, R G; Bastian, R D; DeTavernier, S ^[1]

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1. Lehigh Univ., Bethlehem, PA (USA). Dept. of Chemistry Lehigh Univ., Bethlehem, PA (USA). Zettlemoyer Center for Surface Studies

The objective of the proposed research is to synthesize high octane ethers directly from coal-derived synthesis gas via alcohol mixtures that are rich in methanol and isobutanol. The overall scheme involves gasification of coal, purification and shifting of the synthesis gas, higher alcohol synthesis, and direct synthesis of ethers. Commercial acid and superacid resin catalysts were obtained and tested under one set of conditions to compare the activities and selectivities for forming the unsymmetric methylisobutylether (MIBE) by coupling methanol with isobutanol. It was found that both Nafion-H microsaddles and Amberlyst-15 resins are active for this synthesis reaction. While and the Nafion-H catalyst does form the MIBE product fairly selectively under the reaction conditions utilized, the Amberlyst-15 catalyst formed dimethylether (DME) as the major product. In addition, significantly larger quantities of the C{sub 4} hydrocarbon products were observed over the Amberlyst-15 catalyst at 123{degree}C and 13.6 atm. It has been demonstrated that methyltertiarybutylether (MTBE) MIBE, DME and diisobutylether (DIBE) are separated and quantitatively determined by using the proper analytical conditions. In order to gain insight into the role of superacidity in promoting the selective coupling of the alcohols to form the unsymmetric ether, the strengths of the acid sites on the catalysts are being probed by thermometric titrations in non-aqueous solutions. 18 refs., 20 figs., 4 tabs.

• Research Organization: Lehigh Univ., Bethlehem, PA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC22-90PC90044
• OSTI ID: 6273875
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/90044-1; ON: DE91008367
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
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Lignite
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10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
100200 -- Synthetic Fuels-- Production-- (1990-)
ALCOHOL FUELS
ALCOHOLS
ALKANES
BUTANOLS
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
COAL GASIFICATION
CONVERSION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ETHERS
FLUIDS
FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KINETICS
MATERIALS
METHANOL
OCTANE
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PH VALUE
PLASTICS
POLYMERS
POLYOLEFINS
POLYSTYRENE
POLYVINYLS
PROGRESS REPORT
REACTION KINETICS
RESINS
SULFONIC ACIDS
SYNTHESIS
SYNTHESIS GAS
SYNTHETIC FUELS
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
TESTING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES