Hydrogenation of carboxylic acids
AssigneeThe Standard Oil Company
InventorsFrederick A. Pesa, Anne M. Graham, Wayne R. Kliewer
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Abstract
A process is provided for the vapor phase hydrogenation of carboxylic acids to yield their corresponding alcohols in the presence of steam and a catalyst comprising the mixed oxides of ruthenium, at least one of cobalt, nickel, and optionally one of cadmium, zinc, copper, iron, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum. A process is further provided for the preparation of carboxylic acid esters from carboxylic acids in the absence of steam utilizing the above-identified catalysts.
Claims6
A process for the production of carboxylic acid esters having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms from aliphatic carboxylic acids having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, including contacting said carboxylic acids with hydrogen in the vapor phase in the absence of water in excess of the amount of water vapor formed in situ, at a reaction temperature from about 150.degree. C. to about 450.degree. C. and a reaction pressure of about 250 psig to about 5000 psig in the presence of a catalyst represented by the formula
- Zn.sub.a Ru.sub.b D.sub.c E.sub.d O.sub.x
- wherein
- D=Co, Ni and mixtures thereof;
- E=Cd, Fe, Cu,, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt and mixtures thereof;
- and wherein
- a=greater than 0 to 1,
- b=0.01 to 3,
- c=0.01 to 3,
- d=0 to 1,
- x=the number of oxygens determined by the valence requirements of the other elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.