PATENT

3529. ----- [STANDARD OIL CO.]  Oxygenated Organic Compounds.  British Patent 640,115, July 12, 1950.  Chem. Abs., vol. 44, 1950, p. 10,302.

By washing a synthetic olefin with alkali to remove acidic components, the yields on subsequent oxygenation and hydrogenation to give alcohols are increased.  Thus, a mixture of H2:CO=2:1 is passed over an Fe catalyst containing Al2O3, 1.5 and K2O, 1.5% at 650° F. and 400 p. s. i.   The product fraction, b. 250°-300° F., gravity 53.4° A. P. I., hydroxyl no. 9, carbonyl no. 274, saponification no. 42, acid no. 32.8, Br no. 92, was washed with 5% NaOH at 70°-90° F. for 12 min. to give a hydrocarbon mixture of gravity 56.5° A. P. I. hydroxyl no. 23, carbonyl no. 33, saponification no. 11, acid no. 0.9, and Br no. 88.  A sample of the untreated olefin was caused to react with H2:CO=1.2:1  in the presence of 11% catalyst, Co, 31.2, Cu, 0.9; ThO2, 5.6; and SiO2, 62.3% at 275° F. and 3,000 p. s. i. for 5 hr. to give a 16% oxygenated product.  The treated olefin under similar conditions gave 86% conversion.  The oxygenated product is hydrogenated in the presence of Ni on kieselguhr, or in the presence of the oxygenation catalyst, to yield alcohols.