Patent GB-659981-A (GB)
Title: A process for refining synthetic alcohols
IPC: C07C29/90
Filed: 1949-10-27
Abstract: The refining of synthetic alcohols by hydrogenation is carried out in the presence of a stationary catalyst containing at least 25 per cent, preferably at least 35 per cent, of nickel (by weight), calculated as metallic nickel on a carrier, in the preparation of which the nickel has been partially precipitated in the form of a silicate.  The following materials can be used as carriers: sintered kieselguhr, aluminium oxide, magnesium silicate, magnesium carbonate, barium sulphate, pumice stone, kaolin, activated carbon and particularly natural or artificial aluminium oxides; metallic carriers such as aluminium and acid-treated or non-acid-treated clay. The nickel may be precipitated, in the presence of the carrier, from a solution by using an alkaline agent such as sodium hydroxide or carbonate in the presence of a soluble silicate in order to precipitate the nickel partly in the form of a silicate.  It is also possible to p  precipitate the nickel first, to separate and dry the precipitate and mix it with the carrier.  The mixture can be pressed into pellets, cylinders, rings or other suitable bodies.  Before or after being compressed into suitably shaped lumps the nickel can be liberated from its compound as an oxide which is subsequently reduced.  Preferably 20 to 60 per cent of the nickel is precipitated as silicate.  The temperature and pressure at which the refining is carried out depends on the type of initial material.  The catalyst can be regenerated by oxidation treatment, for example with a mixture of air and steam, and then reduced.  In the example a C9 alcohol obtained by the oxo-reaction is refined by hydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst consisting of 40 per cent Ni, 11.2 per cent SiO2 and 48 per cent Al2O3.ALSO:In the refining of synthetic alcohols by catalytic hydrogenation the catalyst consists of at least 25 per cent of nickel by weight calculated as metallic nickel on a carrier, part of the nickel having been precipitated as a silicate.  The following materials may be used as carriers: sintered kieselguhr, aluminium oxide, magnesium silicate, magnesium carbonate, barium sulphate, pumice stone, kaolin, activated carbon and particularly natural or artificial aluminium oxides, metallic carriers such as aluminium, and acid-treated or non-acid-treated clay.  The nickel may be precipitated in the presence of the carrier from a solution by using an alkaline agent such as sodium hydroxide or carbonate in addition to a soluble silicate so that the nickel is precipitated partly as silicate.  It is also possible to precipitate the nickel first, to separate and dry the precipitate and mix it with the carrier.  The mixture can be pressed into pellets, cylinders, rings or other suitable bodies.  Before or after being compressed into suitably shaped lumps the nickel can be liberated from its compound as an oxide which is subsequently reduced.  Preferably 20 to 60 per cent of the nickel is precipitated as silicate.  The catalyst may be regenerated by oxidation, for example with a mixture of air and steam and then reduced.  In the example a C9 alcohol obtained by the OXO-reaction is refined by hydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst consisting of 40 per cent Ni, 11.2 per cent SiO2 and 48.8 per cent Al2O3. p