Process for the preparation of propane-1,3-diol by vapor phase hydrogenation of 3-hydroxypropanal, beta-propiolactone, oligomers of beta-propiolactone, esters of 3-hydroxypropanoic acid or mixtures thereof

A process for the production of propane-1,3-diol which comprises forming a vaporous feed mixture comprising a hydrogen-containing gas and a substantially anhydrous feedstock selected from β-propiolactone, oligomers of β-propiolactone, esters of 3-hydroxypropanoic acid, and mixtures of two or more thereof, supplying the vaporous feed mixture to a hydrogenation zone containing a heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst selected from reduced copper oxide/zinc oxide hydrogenation catalysts, reduced manganese-promoted copper catalysts, reduced copper chromite catalysts and reduced promoted copper chromite catalysts at a temperature of from about 130° C. to about 180° C. and a feed pressure to the hydrogenation zone of from about 50 psia (about 344.74 kpa)to about 2000 psia (13789.52 kPa) said hydrogenation conditions effective for hydrogenating feedstock to propane-1,3-diol, and recovering from the hydrogenation zone a reaction product comprising propane-1,3-diol.