Isobutyl Oil Synthesis

The Isobutylölsynthese is a method for the production of isobutanol from synthesis gas .

reaction

Isobutanol is produced from synthesis gas according to the equation:

${\displaystyle \mathrm {4\ CO\ +8\ H_{2}\ \longrightarrow \ iso-C_{4}H_{9}OH\ +\ 3\ H_{2}O} }$

at a pressure of about 200 bar and a temperature of about 400 ° C. The main product of the synthesis is methanol , isobutanol is obtained in about 12% yield.

history

From Matthias Pier's attempts to produce methanol , it was known that alkalized catalysts not only yield methanol but also higher alcohols. A 0.5 to 1% potassium -provided zinc oxide / chromia catalyst was 1932 in the Leuna plants used for the production of isobutanol. In addition to methanol and isobutanol, higher alcohols were also obtained as products. The isobutanol produced was in turn used from 1936 for the production of isooctane , a hydrocarbon with a high octane number .

Individual evidence

1. ^ ^{A b} Karl Becker: Catalysts of the Leuna factory: a contribution to the history of technical heterogeneous catalysis - Part I: The developments from 1921 to 1945. In: Chemical engineering technology. 86, 2014, pp. 2105-2114, doi: 10.1002 / cite.201400051 .