The higher alcohol synthesis over promoted Cu/ZnO catalysts

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Abstract
Alkali oxides added to methanol catalysts increase the formation of ethanol, n‐propanol and isobutyl alcohol. This result has been known for many years, yet few quantitative studies have been reported in the literature. Data obtained on a commercial copper‐zinc oxide catalyst promoted with K2 CO3 are presented and compared with published work. The optimum promoter concentration was about 0.5% by weight. The H2 to CO feed ratio was important in determining the higher alcohol selectivity. The rate of production of isobutyl alcohol varied as p p while for methanol, ethanol and n‐propanol both exponents were positive and less than 1.6. Decreasing the hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio from 2 to 0.5 more than doubled the isobutyl alcohol selectivity. Chain growth schemes predicting the higher alcohol selectivity are presented and estimates of the parameters are given.

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