ChemInform Abstract: Direct Alcohol Synthesis Using Copper/Cobalt Catalysts

Abstract

The authors have measured the yields of methanol, higher alcohols, and hydrocarbons during CO hydrogenation on a Cu/Co/ZnO/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/K catalyst. The overall yield of higher alcohols increases linearly with CO conversion, and the individual higher alcohol yields obey a Schulz-Flory distribution through n-C{sub 6}H{sub 13}OH. The selectivity for hydrocarbon products also increases with CO conversion. The product alcohols do not undergo a significant degree of secondary reaction at the concentrations formed under these conditions. The overall results are consistent with a mechanism for higher alcohol synthesis that involves chain growth of a common surface alkyl intermediate, followed by a chain termination step which determines whether the final product desorbs as an alcohol or hydrocarbon. The selectivity of the termination step shifts toward greater hydrocarbon formation with increasing CO conversion. 20 refs.