PATENT

3454. ----- [STANDARD OIL CO.]  Alcohols.  British Patent 672,349, May 21, 1952.  Chem. Abs., vol. 47, 1953, p. 4356.

Yields of alcohols obtained from the reaction olefins, CO, and H2 with Co stearate are improved if the residue after removal of the alcohols is subjected to repeated hydrogenation.  Thus, an olefin C7 cut b. 160°-170° F., CO and H2 in 1.1:1 ratio, and Co naphthenate at 350° F. and 3,300 p.s.i.  give an olefin conversion of 75-80%.  Reduction of the oxygenated compounds thus obtained with 10% MoS2 on charcoal at 450° F. and 2,900 p. s. i. gave a mixture containing 57.5 wt.-% alcohols b. 340°-370° and 17.4 wt.-% of bottoms.  The alcohols were recovered, 1 l. of the residue was hydrogenated at 350° F. at 2,700 p. s. i.  over Ni-kieselguhr catalyst, and the produce saponidied with 15% NaOH 5 hr. at 400° F.; a saturated ether amounting to about 30 vol. % of the original bottoms and C15-C16 alcohols, also equivalent to about 30% of the bottoms, were recovered.