Process for preparing low molecular weight oxygenated compounds from syngas using novel catalyst system
AssigneeTexaco Inc.
InventorRoger G. Duranleau
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Abstract
Low molecular weight oxygenated compounds, and particularly ethylene glycol and methanol, are prepared from syngas in good yield by contacting a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen with a catalyst system comprising a rhodium-containing compound, an organic ligand and a sulfonium salt, preferably dissolved in a suitable solvent, and heating the resulting mixture at an elevated temperature and pressure for sufficient time to produce the desired low molecular weight oxygenated compounds, and then recovering the same from the reaction mixture.
Claims24
A process for preparing low molecular weight oxygenated products such as ethylene glycol and methanol from syngas which comprises contacting a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen with a catalyst system comprising a rhodium-containing compound, an organic ligand and a sulfonium salt, and heating the resulting mixture at an elevated temperature and pressure for sufficient time to produce the desired low molecular weight oxygenated products.
A process for preparing ethylene glycol and methanol from syngas which comprises contacting a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen with a catalytic effective amount of a catalyst comprising a soluble rhodium-containing compound, an organic ligand containing an element of the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, arsenic and antimony, and a trihydrocarbylsulfonium salt or a substituted tryhydrocarbylsulfonium salt dissolved in a substantially inert solvent, heating the resulting mixture at a temperature between 170.degree. C. and 350.degree. C. at a pressure between 1000 psi and 7500 psi for sufficient time to produce the ethylene glycol and methanol, and then recovering the same from the reaction mixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.