The Synthesis of Oxygenated Organic Compounds from Methanol and Carbon Monoxide-Hydrogen Mixtures in the Presence of a Mixture of Cobalt Acetate and an Iodide Used as the Catalyst

Abstract

Abstract The reaction of methanol with carbon monoxide-hydrogen mixtures has been carried out in the presence of a mixture of cobalt acetate and an iodide as catalyst. The extent of methanol conversion into C2-oxygenated compounds (acetaldehyde, ethanol and acetic esters) was 40 to 60% when the catalyst concentration (Co(CH3COO)2·4H2O+an iodide) range was form 1.0 to 20 mol%; the temperature range was from 180 to 220°C; the pressure range was from 300 to 500 kg./cm2 (the H2/CO values in synthesis gases were 1.0 to 1.5), and the reaction time was 90 min. The amount of free acetic acid, C3- and higher oxygenated compounds in the liquid product was small. The use of iodine instead of an iodide as an additive for the cobalt acetate catalyst is disadvantageous for this reaction. From the detailed investigation of the influence of the catalyst concentration on the extent of the conversion of methanol into C2-oxygenated compounds, it has been shown that the formation of acetaldehyde is favored in the presence of a relatively large amount of an iodide and that an increase in cobalt acetate results in an increase in the yield of ethanol. It has been postulated that, under these conditions, methanol reacted with carbon monoxide and hydrogen to form acetaldehyde, which subsequently was hydrogenaled to ethanol or dimerized to other oxygenated compounds.