Catalytic conversion of ethanol and methanol to an isobutanol-containing reaction product using a thermally decomposed hydrotalcite/metal

A process for making a isobutanol-containing reaction 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)(An−x/n)].yH2O][M′A′]z
• wherein,
• M2+ is divalent Mg, or a combination of Mg and at least one divalent member selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ni, Pd, Pt, Go, 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;
• An− is CO32− with n=2, or OH− with n=1;
• M′A′ is a carbonate of at least one divalent metal M′ selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ni, Pd, Pt, Go, Fe, and Cu;
• and A′ is carbonate;
• z is any number between 0.001 and 0.5 inclusive;
• and
• y is 0 to 4,
• wherein the hydrotalcite catalyst is partially decomposed.