SINGLE-STAGE VAPOR-PHASE HYDROGENATION OF CROTONALDEHYDE TO n-BUTYL ALCOHOL.

Article abstract of DOI:10.1007/BF00718509

The commercial hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde to n-butyl alcohol is conducted in two stages. First the feedstock is 90-95% hydrogenated, then the product is rehydrogenated. Supported copper and nickel oxide catalysts are used. In order to carry out the single-stage vapor-phase hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde, work was performed on the preparation of a new, active catalyst with good mechanical strength; this was obtained by coprecipitation of copper compounds with other added metals from solutions of their salts, together with silica gel. The resulting catalyst mass was subjected to further treatment, including stages of syneresis, washing, drying, pelletizing, and activation. In the reported investigation, crotonaldehyde was hydrogenated on several catalyst specimens differing in chemical composition. The hydrogenations were performed at temperatures of 160, 180, and 200 C, liquid feedstock space velocities of 1. 2-2. 4 h** minus **1, and hydrogen space velocities of 1000 and 2000 h** minus **1. The composition of the liquid reaction products was determined by gas chromatography. Results obtained with the modified copper catalyst prepared under laboratory conditions are tabulated and compared with those obtained with commercial catalysts. It is shown that the modified catalyst has been more active than the commercial catalyst. This catalyst as prepared by the authors proved to have approximately twice the mechanical strength of the commercial catalyst.