342.    BRENDLEIN, -----.  Medium-Pressure Synthesis of Methanol.  FIAT Reel M-38, frames 8061-8074, 1942; frames 8130-8132, 1943; PB 70,309. 

                  Medium-pressure synthesis of MeOH takes place by way of methyl formate, which is isolated as such and then hydrogenated to MeOH.  MeOH is converted into methyl formate with CO in the presence of sodium methylate at a pressure of 30 atm.  The methyl formate is reduced to MeOH on a catalyst of reduced Cu oxides.  Higher alcohols can also be used as starting materials since their formates can be prepared and hydrogenated in the same way.  Describes apparatus.