782.    ---------------.  [EIDUS, Y. T.]   Reactions of Some Oxygen-Containing Organic Compounds Over the Cobalt Contact Catalysts Used for the Synthesis of Gasoline From Water Gas.  Bull. Acad. Sci. U.R.S.S., Classe Sci. Chim., 1943, pp. 65-73 (English summary); Nat. Petrol. News, vol. 37, No. 14, 1945, pp. R-302, 304, 306; U.O.P. Co. Survey Foreign Petroleum Literature Transl. 439; Chem. Abs., vol. 38, 1944, p. 1342.

     MeOH decomposes almost completely over a Co-ThO₂-kieselguhr catalyst at 170°-200°, forming CO and H₂.  These react further to form a mixture of liquid hydrocarbons similar in properties to, but smaller in amount than, the mixture obtained directly from water gas over this catalyst.  HCO₂H similarly decomposes, chiefly to H₂ and CO₂, somewhat less to H₂O and CO, and very slightly to HCHO, CO₂, and H₂O.  EtOH gives a series of products, of which the chief are CH₄, CO, and H₂.  In both cases liquid hydrocarbons are formed, but always as secondary products from CO and H₂.  Thus, MeOH, HCO₂H, and EtOH cannot be intermediates to the synthesis of hydrocarbons from water gas.