skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Alcohol synthesis from CO/H{sub 2} over Co/Cu/ZnO/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}: In situ addition of CH{sub 3}NO{sub 2}

Journal Article · · Journal of Catalysis
; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA (United States); and others

A Co/Cu/ZnO/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalyst prepared by cobalt impregnation of a commercial methanol-synthesis catalyst was used to study the formation of alcohols from CO/H{sub 2}. The addition of cobalt selectively and significantly suppressed methanol formation without promoting the formation rates of higher alcohols. Co also poisoned the promoting effect of CO{sub 2} on methanol formation, suggesting that the primary role of Co was to block the pathway for methanol formation from CO{sub 2}/H{sub 2}. The addition of nitromethane to Co/Cu/ZnO/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} suppressed the formation rates of all alcohols equally and produced substituted methylamines, probably by diverting the aldehydic intermediate for methanol formation. The equal suppression of C{sub 1}-C{sub 3} alcohols observed during nitromethane addition suggests that the same intermediate was involved in the formation of methanol and higher alcohols over Co/Cu/ZnO/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. 37 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.

DOE Contract Number:
FG22-90PC90305
OSTI ID:
98950
Journal Information:
Journal of Catalysis, Vol. 153, Issue 1; Other Information: PBD: 15 Apr 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English