Patent ID: 6518463
Filing Date: 2003-02-11
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for oxidizing methanol to formaldehyde in a fixed bed reactor having an inlet end, an upstream region, a downstream region, and an outlet end, said process comprising the steps of:(a) introducing a reactant gas feed stream into said inlet end, wherein said reactant gas feed stream comprises methanol; and (b) flowing said reactant gas feed stream through said upstream region and oxidizing said methanol to said formaldehyde to yield a partially oxidized reactant gas feed stream containing formaldehyde and potentially unoxidized residual methanol; (c) and then flowing said partially oxidized reactant gas feed stream through said downstream region and oxidizing said residual methanol to formaldehyde to yield a product gas stream, wherein a first metal molybdate catalyst suitable for oxidizing said methanol to said formaldehyde is distributed in said upstream region, wherein said first metal molybdate catalyst is substantially free of volatile MoO3, and wherein a second metal molybdate catalyst suitable for oxidizing any of said residual methanol to said formaldehyde is distributed in said downstream region.