Catalytic conversion of ethanol and methanol to an isobutanol-containing reaction product using a thermally decomposed hydrotalcite containing the anion of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

A process for making an isobutanol-containing product, comprising:

• contacting a reactant comprising ethanol and methanol with a catalyst at a reaction temperature and pressure sufficient to produce said reaction product, wherein said catalyst is derived from a hydrotalcite of the formula:
• [M2+1−xM3+x(OH)2][{(M′A′)n′−}aAn−(1−a)(n′/n)]x/n′.yH2O
• wherein
• M2+ is divalent Mg, or a combination of divalent Mg and at least one divalent member selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ni, Pd, Pt, Co, Fe, and Cu;
• M3+ is trivalent Al, or a combination of trivalent Al and at least one trivalent member selected from the group consisting of Fe and Cr;
• x is 0.66 to 0.1;
• M′ is (i) one or more divalent members selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ni, Pd, Pt, Fe, Co, and Cu;
• or (ii) one or more trivalent members selected from the group consisting of Fe, Cr, and Ru;
• or (iii) a mixture of one or more of said divalent members with one or more of said trivalent members;
• A′ is an anion of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid;
• n′ is absolute value of a sum of an oxidation state of M′ and (−4);
• provided that if M′ is said mixture, then n′ is calculated according to the following equation:
• n′=an absolute value of [XD(2)+XD(−4)+XT(3)+XT(−4)], wherein
• XD=a sum of a number of moles of all divalent members divided by (a sum of a number of moles of all divalent members+a sum of a number of moles of all trivalent members), and
• XT=a sum of the number of moles of all trivalent members divided by (the sum of the number of moles of all divalent members+the sum of the number of moles of all trivalent members);
• An− is CO32− with n=2 or OH− with n=1;
• a=0.001 to 1;
• and
• y=0 to 4;
• wherein the hydrotalcite catalyst is partially decomposed.