Preparation of improved catalyst composition

Abstract

A process for preparing a catalyst composition containing a copper oxide, a zinc oxide and an aluminum oxide as essential components and, if desired, containing a boron oxide, which comprises the following steps: (a) a step of precipitating from an aqueous solution of a water-soluble copper salt, which solution, if desired, may contain a water-soluble boron compound, a copper component, together with a boron component if the boron compound is present, with the use of ammonium carbonate or ammonium bicarbonate as a precipitant; (b) a step of precipitating from an aqueous solution of a water-soluble zinc salt, which solution, if desired, may contain a water-soluble boron compound, a copper component, together with a boron component if the boron compound is present, with the use of an alkali hydroxide as a precipitant; and (c) a step of calcing a mixture of the precipitates obtained in the steps (a) and (b) in the presence of an alumina precursor compound. The catalyst thus obtained is useful in synthesizing methanol from a mixed gas comprising carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.