Patent ID: 7807857

Claim:
A process for making a reaction product comprising 1-butanol, comprising the step: contacting a reactant comprising ethanol with a catalyst composition at a reaction temperature and pressure sufficient to produce said reaction product, wherein said catalyst composition comprises at least one Group II metal salt supported on a lanthanum-promoted oxide containing alumina and has the following empirical formula: M a [Al (1-b) La b ][A z− ] c wherein: (i) M is selected from the group consisting of Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Sr 2+ , Ba 2+ , Ra 2+ , and combinations of these; (ii) A Z− is a monovalent or divalent anion selected from the group consisting of carbonate (CO 3 2− , wherein the charge, “z” is given by z=2), oxide (O 2− , wherein z=2), hydroxide (OH − , wherein z=1), and bicarbonate (HCO 3 − , wherein z=1), or a mixture (A z′− x A z″− y ) of these divalent and monovalent anions wherein A z′− and A z″− are different anions, with the caveat that when A z− is the mixture A z′− x A z″− y , the composite charge “z” is given by z=x(z′)+y(z″), wherein x+y=1; (iii) a is 0.01 to 0.4, including the endpoints of the range; (iv) b is 0.0011 to 0.11, including the endpoints of the range; and (v) c=(2a/z)+[3(1−b)/z]+(3b/z).