2609. ------. [PATART, G.] [Methanol and Liquid Hydrocarbons From Water Gas.] French Patent 594,121, Feb. 23, 1925. British Chem. Abs., B, 1927, p. 346.

Mixture of equal volumes of illuminating gas and water gas is passed over a catalyst cosisting of ZnO and Cr₂O₃ at 300° and 150-250 atm. pressure. On cooling, under the same pressure, a liquid product is formed, which separates into 2 layers, the upper containing hydrocarbons and the lower MeOH. The gaseous product is returned to the initial reaction mixture. In the last hour of the reaction the amount of MeOH produced is scarcely diminished. The pressure having fallen meanwhile to only 34 atm. It is better, therefore, to work at very high pressures (800-1,000 atm.). CH₄ is separated by refrigeration under pressure and submitted to the process of French Patent 593,650 (abs. 2617). The residual gas mixture consists of H₂, N₂, and CO. It is, therefore, possible to carry out the process without water gas, using coal gas or coke-oven gas only. The liquid product may be used directly for heating or carburization purposes or the hydrocarbons may be separated after the addition of H₂O and pure MeOH obtained from aqueous solution for distillation.