Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Jochen Kellenbenz

Peter Zehner

Michael Schulz

Maximilian Vicari

Marc Heider

Joachim Thiel

Heinz Auer

Martin Schmidt-Radde

Karl Fischer

Hans Hammer

Klaus Bittins

Stefan Berg

Jürgen Dahlhaus

Kurt Josef Wagner

A description is given of a process for preparing methyl formate by reacting excess methanol with carbon monoxide under superatmospheric pressure and at elevated temperature in the presence of alkali metal methoxide or alkaline earth metal methoxide as catalyst in a pressure-rated reactor, in which the use of at least two reactor elements, preferably operated in countercurrent, at about 100&#xb0; C. and a pressure of about 100 bar in combination with a solids-free desalting of the reaction product makes possible very economical, largely trouble-free production of methyl formate in any desired quality and with a very good production capacity. Furthermore, the process for solids-free desalting and apparatuses for carrying out this process are described.

Method for the continuous production of methyl formate

Process for carrying out gas/liquid reactions at from (-50.degree.) to 300.degree. C. and from 0.1 to 100 bar by carrying out the reaction in the absence of a continuous gas phase, and, as a special case, a process for the batchwise reaction of acetylene in the liquid phase at from 0.degree. to 300.degree. C. and from 2 to 30 bar, in which acetylene is introduced a) in the absence of a continuous gas phase and b) under isobaric conditions to a degree of saturation of from 5 to 100%.

Process for carrying out gas/liquid reactions under avoidance of a

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Bad Dürkheim, Germany

Jochen Kellenbenz