Method and system for ethanol production
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsHarold M. Feder, Michael J. Chen
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Abstract
A transition metal carbonyl and a tertiary amine are employed as a homogeneous catalytic system in methanol or a less volatile solvent to react methanol with carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas producing ethanol and carbon dioxide. The gas contains a high carbon monoxide to hydrogen ratio as is present in a typical gasifier product. The reaction has potential for anhydrous ethanol production as carbon dioxide rather than water is produced. The only other significant by product is methane. Selected transition metal carbonyls include those of iron, ruthenium and possibly manganese and osmium. Selected amines include trimethylamine, N-Methylpyrrolidine, 24-diazabicyclooctane, dimethyneopentylamine and 2-pryidinol.
Claims21
A method of selectively producing ethanol from methanol comprising:
- forming an organic solution including methanol solvent and further including in solution a tertiary amine and, a transition metal carbonyl selected from the group consisting of iron carbonyls, ruthenium carbonyls and combinations thereof;
- contacting the organic solution with a flow of gas containing H.sub.2 and CO to react with methanol and form ethanol and CO.sub.2 substantially without the production of water in accordance with the overall reaction;
- MeOH+2CO+H.sub.2 .fwdarw.EtOH+CO.sub.2
- recovering ethanol as product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.