Direct alcohol synthesis using copper/cobalt catalysts

Abstract

We have measured the yields of methanol, higher alcohols, and hydrocarbons during CO hydrogenation on a Cu/Co/ZnO/Al 2O 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 6H 13OH. 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.