Trifunctional catalysts for conversion of syngas to alcohols. Fifth quarterly report, September 1-November 30, 1985

Technical Report · Sat Dec 21 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:6317311

Bischoff, K B; Manogue, W; Mills, G A

The identification and analysis of all the individual reaction products formed in the CO hydrogenation over rhodium catalysts has been achieved. This has not been reported by previous workers. The reaction products contain significant amounts of all five classes of oxygenates (namely alcohols, aldehydes, acids, esters and ethers), C1 to C5 hydrocarbons, in addition to carbon dioxide and water formed by the shift reaction. In a series of tests using a Na-Rh/alumina catalyst, varying space rate was used to vary CO conversion from 1 to 13%. Selectivity to oxygenates decreased with increasing conversion. Over this range the C2 oxygenates were found to be a remarkable ca 80% of all oxygenates. From a plot of production of C2 oxygenates as a function of CO conversion, the build-up of secondary reaction products can be observed, which indicates, for example, the sequential formation of acetaldehyde, hydrogenation to ethanol and, with acetic acid, conversion to ethyl acetate. Six new catalysts were prepared to test out various ideas: (1) Ce addition to Rh/alumina increased selectivity to oxygenates slightly; (2) Sn addition to Rh/alumina caused essentially complete deactivation; (3) Rh deposited on alumina as the unusual rhodium acetate dimer was not active at low temperature as hoped. Also at higher temperatures where the complex decomposed, the selectivity to oxygenates was poor; (4) Na added to prereduced Rh/alumina performed identically to a catalyst in which Na and Rh were codeposited on alumina; and (5) Rh deposited on alumina from Rh trichloride solution gave the same results as catalyst prepared using Rh trinitrate solution. Progress was made in catalyst characterization using chemisorption, infrared measurements and temperature programmed desorption. 5 figs., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: Delaware Univ., Newark (USA). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
• DOE Contract Number: FG22-84PC70780
• OSTI ID: 6317311
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/70780-T3; ON: DE86004479
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

090221* -- Alcohol Fuels-- Chemical Synthesis-- (1976-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
ACETALDEHYDE
ACETIC ACID
ACETIC ACID ESTERS
ALCOHOLS
ALDEHYDES
ALKALI METALS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBOXYLIC ACID ESTERS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CERIUM
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL PREPARATION
CHEMICAL REACTION YIELD
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
DEACTIVATION
DIAGRAMS
ELEMENTS
ESTERS
ETHANOL
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLOWSHEETS
HYDROGENATION
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
INFRARED SPECTRA
METALS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLATINUM METALS
PROMOTERS
RARE EARTHS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RHODIUM
SODIUM
SPECIFICITY
SPECTRA
SYNTHESIS
TIN
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
YIELDS