Process for preparing ethylene glycol and lower monohydric alcohols from syn gas using a novel catalyst system
AssigneeTexaco Inc.
InventorLeslie H. Simons
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Abstract
Ethylene glycol and lower monohydric alcohols are prepared from syn gas in improved yields by contacting a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen with a catalyst system comprising a ruthenium-containing compound and a special manganese-containing compound, both dispersed in a low melting quaternary phosphonium compound, and heating the resulting reaction mixture at a temperature of at least 150.degree. C. and a pressure of at least 500 psi for sufficient time to produce the desired ethylene glycol and monohydric alcohols, and then recovering the same from the reaction mixture.
Claims20
A process for preparing ethylene glycol and lower monohydric alcohols from syngas which comprises contacting a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen with a catalyst system comprising a ruthenium-containing compound and a manganese-containing compound wherein one manganese atom is attached to three separate carbonyl groups and to an unsaturated hydrocarbon radical, the ruthenium-containing compound and the manganese-containing compound being dispersed in a low melting quaternary phosphonium salt, and heating the resulting mixture at a temperature of at least 150.degree. C. and a pressure of at least 500 psi for sufficient time to produce the desired ethylene glycol and monohydric alcohols.
A process for preparing ethylene glycol and lower monohydric alcohols from syn gas which comprises contacting a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen in mole ratio of 1:5 to 5:1 with a catalyst system comprising a ruthenium oxide and a manganese compound of the formula YMn(CO).sub.3 wherein Y is an unsaturated aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon, the said ruthenium-containing compound and manganese-containing compound being dispersed in a quaternary phosphonium salt melting below 180.degree. C. and heating the resulting mixture at a temperature between 150.degree. C. and 350.degree. C. and a pressure of 1000 psi to 5500 psi.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.