Patent ID: 8318989

Claim:
A process for making a reaction product comprising 1-butanol, comprising: contacting a reactant comprising ethanol containing water with a catalyst at a reaction temperature and pressure sufficient to produce said reaction product, wherein said catalyst is derived from a hydrotalcite of Formula I: [M 2+ 1−x M 3+ x (OH) 2 ][{(M′A′) n′− } a A n− (1−a)(n′/n) ] x/n′ .yH 2 O Formula I wherein M 2+ is divalent Mg, or a combination of divalent Mg and at least one divalent member selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ni, Pd, Pt, Co, Fe, and Cu; M 3+ is trivalent Al, or a combination of trivalent Al and at least one trivalent member selected from the group consisting of Fe and Cr; x is 0.66 to 0.1; M′ is one or more divalent members selected from the group consisting of Ni and Co; A′ is the anion of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; n′ is the absolute value of the sum of the oxidation state of M′ and the oxidation state of the anion of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (−4); A n− is CO 3 2− with n=2 or OH − with n=1; a=0.001 to 1; and y=0 to 4; wherein the hydrotalcite catalyst is partially decomposed; and wherein the Wet:Dry Activity Ratio obtained by the Relative Conversion Test is greater than 100% after 70 minutes of time on stream.