Method for obtaining alcohols from aldehydes II

A method for preparing saturated Cn- and C2n-alcohols where n=4, 5 and 6 comprising the method steps of

• a) providing a mixture of isomeric Cn-aldehydes where n=4, 5 and 6, wherein the proportion of unbranched aldehydes is at least 20% by weight, based on the Cn-aldehydes where n=4, 5 and 6, and dividing the mixture into a first substream and a second substream
• b) carrying out an aldol condensation of the aldehydes present in the first substream to obtain a mixture of Cn- and α,β-unsaturated C2n-aldehydes,
• c) mixing the mixture of Cn- and α,β-unsaturated C2n-aldehydes obtained in b) with the second substream provided in a)
• d) hydrogenating the mixture of Cn- and α,β-unsaturated C2n-aldehydes and isomeric Cn-aldehydes where n=4, 5 and 6 obtained in c) with hydrogen to obtain a mixture of saturated Cn and C2n-alcohols and
• e) separating the mixture of Cn and C2n-alcohols,
• characterized in that the isomer ratio of the Cn-alcohol obtained is adjusted by the ratio of the first and second substream produced in step a) and by the aldol condensation carried out in step b).