Alcohols and hydrocarbons from carbon oxides and hydrogen and fused iron catalysts: Developments of syntheses and mechanism

Abstract

Main data are summarized concerning a number of versions of alcohol and hydrocarbon syntheses from CO (or CO 2) and H 2 using fused iron catalysts (FIC). Among them: ethanol synthesis from CO 2 and H 2; liquid hydrocarbon synthesis from CO and H 2 on FIC reduced at high temperatures; higher alcohols synthesis from CO and H 2 with a fixed bed catalyst, with catalyst fluidized in a gas phase, and immersed in a liquid phase; and higher alcohols synthesized from CO, H 2 and C 2H 2 in gas and liquid phases. Changes in the chemical and bulk phase composition of FIC during synthesis from CO and H 2 under 200 bar, 164–165°C, are not correlated with the catalyst activity. The proposed synthesis mechanism considers the successive addition of CO and H 2 molecules to the growing surface intermediate compound.