Process for continuous production of methyl mercaptan

A process for continuous production of methyl mercaptan comprising reacting a feed gas mixture of methanol and hydrogen sulfide in the vapor phase at a reaction temperature between 300.degree. C. and 500.degree. C. and under an operating pressure of 5 to 15 bar in a catalyst bed containing aluminum oxide, the feed gas mixture is obtained through the following process steps:

• a) in a first stage of a two-stage compression, sufficiently compressing hydrogen sulfide make-up gas to an intermediate pressure with addition of liquid methanol, thereby generating sufficient heat to vaporize said methanol,
• b) in a second stage of said two-stage compression mixing recycled hydrogen sulfide gas to the make-up gas to obtain a mixture and compressing the mixture to the operating pressure to obtain a compressed gas mixture,
• c) adding supplemental methanol in the form of methanol vapor to the compressed gas mixture to produce a feed gas mixture having a molar ratio of hydrogen sulfide to methanol of 1.1 to 3,
• d) heating the feed gas mixture to a preheat temperature in the range of 150.degree. C. to 200.degree. C.,
• e) further heating of the feed gas mixture to the reaction temperature in heat exchange with the reaction heat released in the catalyst bed, and
• f) reacting methanol and hydrogen sulfide to produce methyl mercaptan in the catalyst bed.