Silver-cadmium-zinc alloy catalyst for hydrogenation of acrolein to allyl alcohol
AssigneeCelanese Corporation
InventorThomas H. Vanderspurt
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Abstract
This invention provides a silver-cadmium-zinc alloy catalyst which is highly selective for hydrogenation of .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated carbonyl compounds to the corresponding .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated alcohol derivatives. Acrolein is hydrogenated to allyl alcohol in 70 percent yield at 100 percent conversion.
Claims10
A catalyst composition consisting essentially of a silver-cadmium-zinc alloy on a carrier substrate, wherein the atomic ratio of silver to cadmium in the alloy is in the range of between about 0.1 and 3 to 1, and the zinc is contained in the alloy in a quantity between about 0.001 and 30 weight percent, based on the total weight of alloy, and wherein the silver-cadmium-zinc alloy exhibits an X-ray diffraction pattern which is substantially free of detectable unalloyed metal crystallite lines.
An improved hydrogenation process for converting acrolein into allyl alcohol which comprises reacting acrolein with hydrogen in the vapor phase at a temperature between about 0.degree. C and 300.degree. C and a pressure between about 15 and 15,000 psi in the presence of a silver-cadmium-zinc alloy on a carrier substrate, wherein the atomic ratio of silver to cadmium in the alloy is in the range of between about 0.1 and 3 to 1, and the zinc is contained in the alloy in a quantity between about 0.001 and 30 weight percent, based on the total weight of alloy, and wherein the silver-cadmium-zinc alloy exhibits an X-ray diffraction pattern which is substantially free of detectable unalloyed metal crystallite lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.