Union Carbide Corporation

Wellington E Walker

Jose Luis Vidal

Earle S Brown

David Robert Bryant

Roy L Pruett

Leonard Kaplan

George Ernest Keller, Ii

George L O'Connor

Robert W Beisner

Jean B Cropley

Zoltan Csaba Mester

Charles E Moyer, Jr

This invention relates to the manufacture of valuable alkane polyols by reacting oxides of carbon, such as carbon monoxide, with hydrogen in the presence of a rhodium carbonyl complex in homogeneous liquid phase mixture using a solvent mixture of tetraglyme and a sulfolane.

Homogeneous liquid phase process for making alkane polyols

A process for the production of ethanol from the cobalt-catalyzed, iodide-promoted reaction of methanol, hydrogen and carbon monoxide, attaining selectivity to ethanol heretofore unachievable at high methanol conversion, wherein the reaction is carried out in an inert solvent, at a temperature of from greater than 180.degree. C. to 220.degree. C. with an iodide to cobalt mole ratio of from 0.1:1 to 4:1.

Process for the selective homologation of methanol to ethanol

A novel catalyst and process for the manufacture of polyhydric alcohol(s) from synthesis gas. This novel catalyst is a rhodium carbonyl phosphido cluster compound. In particular, the anion cluster of the rhodium carbonyl phosphido compound is of the following empirical formula:

Catalyst for producing polyhydric alcohols and derivatives

This invention relates to the manufacture of such valuable chemicals as polyhydric alcohols, their ether and ester derivatives, oligomers of such alcohols and monohydric alcohols and their ether and ester derivatives by reacting oxides of carbon and hydrogen in the presence of a quaternary ammonium cation and a rhodium carbonyl complex provided to the reaction as a rhodium carbonyl cluster anion which possesses an infrared spectrum which exhibits three intense wavelength bands between about plus and minus 10 cm.sup.-1 of about 1868 cm.sup.-1, about 1838 cm.sup.-1, and about 1785 cm.sup.-1 and said cation is present in the reaction mixture in about 0.8 to about 2.0 moles of cation for every six rhodium atoms present in the reaction mixture.

Catalytic process for polyhydric alcohols and derivatives

The process involves the separation of product from a liquid homogeneous mixture obtained from the reaction of oxides of carbon (e.g. CO) and H.sub.2 in a solvent solution containing a rhodium carbonyl complex catalyst. The solution stability of the catalyst is enhanced by volatilizing the product from the mixture while simultaneously maintaining the mixture in contact with CO gas.

Alcohol separation

Catalyst and process for producing polyhydric alcohols and derivatives

This invention relates to the manufacture of such valuable chemicals as polyhydric alcohols, their ether and ester derivatives, oligomers of such alcohols and their ether and ester derivatives by reacting hydrogen and oxides of carbon in the presence of a rhodium carbonyl complex and a compound of aluminum.

Promoting propylene glycol formation with compounds of aluminum

A catalyst composition useful in the process for the preparation of polyfunctional oxygen-containing compounds such as ethylene glycol and/or derivatives thereof which comprise reacting an oxide of carbon with hydrogen using a rhodium complex catalyst.

Manufacture of polyfunctional compounds

A novel catalyst and process for the manufacture of polyhydric alcohols from synthesis gas. This novel catalyst is a rhodium carbonyl carbido cluster compound. In particular the cluster compound is of the following empirical formula:

This invention relates to the manufacture of such valuable chemicals as polyhydric alcohols, their ether and ester derivatives, oligomers of such alcohols and monohydric alcohols and their ether and ester derivatives by reacting oxides of carbon and hydrogen in the presence of rhodium carbonyl clusters which possess an infrared spectrum which exhibit three intense wavelength bands between about plus and minus 10 cm.sup.-.sup.1 of about 1868 cm.sup.-.sup.1, about 1838 cm.sup.-.sup.1, and about 1785 cm.sup.-.sup.1 dissolved in a lactone solvent from the group consisting of gamma-butyrolactone and delta-valerolactone.

This invention relates to the manufacture of such valuable chemicals as polyhydric alcohols, their ether and ester derivatives, oligomers of such alcohols and monohydric alcohols and their ether and ester derivatives by reacting oxides of carbon and hydrogen in the presence of rhodium carbonyl clusters which possess an infrared spectrum which exhibit three intense wavelength bands between about plus and minus 10 cm.sup.-.sup.1 of about 1868 cm.sup.-.sup.1, about 1838 cm.sup.- .sup.1, and about 1785 cm.sup.-.sup.1.

This invention relates to the manufacture of such valuable chemicals as polyhydric alcohols, their ether and ester derivatives, oligomers of such alcohols and monohydric alcohols and their ether and ester derivatives by reacting oxides of carbon and hydrogen in the presence of an alkali metal cation and a rhodium carbonyl complex provided to the reaction as a rhodium carbonyl cluster anion which possesses an infrared spectrum which exhibits three intense wavelength bands between about plus and minus 10 cm.sup.-.sup.1 of about 1868 cm.sup.-.sup.1, about 1838 cm.sup.-.sup.1, and about 1785 cm.sup.-.sup.1 and said cation is present in the reaction mixture in about 0.5 to about 1.5 atoms of cation per every six rhodium atoms in the cluster.

This invention is concerned with improving the ethylene glycol production capabilities of the metal carbonyl catalyzed reaction between carbon monoxide and hydrogen by conducting the reaction such that the ethylene glycol concentration in the reaction mixture is less than 5 gram moles per liter, preferably between about 0.4 to 5 gram moles per liter of reaction mixture and the molar formation ratio between ethylene glycol and methanol in the reaction mixture exceeds about 0.3. In a preferred embodiment, a continuous process is operated in such a manner that the concentration of ethylene glycol in the product mixture removed from the reactor is greater than the average concentration of ethylene glycol in the reactor.

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Charleston, WV, United States of America

Wellington E Walker