Patent GB-427221-A (GB)
Title: A process for the manufacture of alcohols
IPC: C07C29/153
Filed: 1934-03-16
Abstract: <PICT:0427221/IV/1> Gases consisting of or containing hydrogen, methane or other hydrocarbons mixed with gases consisting of or containing oxygen, air, or an oxide of carbon, one or both the gases containing a carbon compound are introduced into boiling water at normal atmospheric pressure in the presence of catalysts comprising metallic oxides other than calcium oxide and/or metal powders or charcoal or coke washed with alkali and the gases and steam produced are passed through vessels charged with catalysts of the same classes.  The products are passed through washing vessels to separate the aldehydes, and fractionally distilled to separate the water and ketones from the alcohols.  According to examples, (1) a mixture of methane and air is passed through boiling water containing aluminium powder, or powdered lead dioxide or charcoal or cobalt oxide or other metallic oxide, and the product is passed over granulated copper oxide or aluminium powder, alone or mixed with other metallic powders or fragments of alloys, or granulated bauxite, to give methyl alcohol or a mixture of alcohols, mainly ethyl, according to the catalysts employed; (2) a mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide is treated in boiling water with a catalyst of charcoal or cobalt zinc, chromium, or aluminium oxides or mixtures thereof, followed by passing over charcoal or coke, previously washed with alkali, or metallic oxides, to give mainly ethyl alcohol and acetaldehyde; mixtures of (3) carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen, and (4) oxygen, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and dioxide with or without hydrocarbons give ethyl alcohol and acetaldehyde on similar treatment.  The use of suction gas, illuminating gas and gas produced by combustion, is also specified. A diagram of suitable apparatus for the reaction is also given, showing tanks B and C separated by a perforated metal plate F, in the lower of which (tank B) are placed the boiling water and catalysts and in the upper of which (tank C) are placed similar catalysts.  The vapours pass off and are condensed.  The tanks are heated through bottom plate E.  The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 includes a modified example 4 describing the use of a particular suction gas mixture and refers to the use of charcoal powder mixed with metals or metal oxides as catalysts in the examples.  This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.ALSO:<PICT:0427221/III/1> In the reaction in which hydrogen, methane or other hydrocarbons react with gases consisting of or containing oxygen, air, or an oxide of carbon, one or both the gases containing a carbon compound, in presence of boiling water and catalysts to produce mainly alcohols, the process may be carried out in apparatus consisting of tanks B and C separated by a perforated metal plate F.  The catalyst of metallic powder, metallic oxides, charcoal or coke washed with alkali, are placed in tank B, filled to \ba2/3\be of its volume with pure water, and additional catalysts occupy tank C.  The apparatus is heated through bottom plate E and the vapours and passed off and condensed.