Allyl alcohol production using molten nitrate salt catalysts

A process for producing allyl alcohol from propylene or mixtures of propylene and propane, which comprises bubbling an oxygen-containing gas and said propylene or mixture through a bath of at least one molten nitrate salt catalyst under reaction conditions which include a temperature of between about 135.degree. C. and about 600.degree. C. and a superatmospheric pressure not exceeding 100 atmospheres.

A process for producing allyl alcohol by reacting propylene with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalyst, said catalyst consisting essentially of a mixture of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate containing between about 20 weight percent and about 80 weight percent of sodium nitrate based upon the total amount of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate in said mixture, under reaction conditions which include a reaction temperature of between about 275.degree. C. and about 350.degree. C. and a reaction pressure of between about 100 psig and about 400 psig.

A process for producing allyl alcohol by reacting propylene with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalyst, said catalyst consisting essentially of a mixture of sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate and lithium nitrate, containing between about 10 weight percent and about 30 weight percent of lithium nitrate and between about 15 weight percent and about 75 weight percent of sodium nitrate based upon the total amount of said mixture, under reaction conditions which include a reaction temperature of between about 200.degree. C. and about 350.degree. C. and a reaction pressure of between about 100 psig and about 400 psig.