# US 7,745,672 B2 · Catalytic conversion of ethanol and methanol to an isobutanol-containing reaction product using a thermally decomposed hydrotalcite/metal

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- Number: US 7,745,672 B2
- Document ID: US7745672B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/196,602
- Filed: 2008-08-22
- Published: 2009-02-26
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2007-08-22
- Assignees: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
- Inventors: Kostantinos Kourtakis; Michael B. D'Amore; Leo Ernest Manzer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7745672B2

## CPC

- C07C 29/34: by condensation involving hydroxy groups or the mineral ester groups derived therefrom, e.g. Guerbet reaction
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS

## Abstract

Hydrotalcite/metal carbonate combinations are partially or fully thermally decomposed to provide catalysts useful for the conversion of ethanol and methanol to a reaction product comprising isobutanol.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the decomposition is achieved by heating for a time and at a temperature sufficient to cause a diminution in the hydrotalcite powder X-ray diffraction pattern peak intensities between 2θ angles of 10 degrees and 70 degrees using CuKα radiation.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein M2+ is divalent Mg.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein M3+ is trivalent Al.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein M′ is Co2+.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein M′ is Ni2+.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein An− is CO32−.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein x is 0.25.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein n is 2.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein z is 0.012.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein, M2+ is Mg2+; M3+ is Al3+; x is 0.25; An− is CO32−; n is 2; M′ is CO2+; A′ is CO32−; z is 0.012; and y is 0 to 4.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein M2+ is Mg; M3+ is Al3+; x is 0.25; An− is CO32−; n is 2; M′ is Ni2+; A′ is CO32−; z is 0.012; and y is 0 to 4.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said reaction temperature is from about 200° C. to about 500° C., and said pressure is from about 0.1 MPa to about 20.7 MPa.