1131a. GALL, D., GIBSON, E. J., AND HALL, C. C. Distribution of Alcohols in the Products of the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis. Proc. Pure Applied Chem. 12th Internat. Cong., Sept. 1951; Jour. Appl. Chem. (U.S.S.R.), vol. 2, 1952, pp. 371-380.

1131a. GALL, D., GIBSON, E. J., AND HALL, C. C. Distribution of Alcohols in the Products of the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis. Proc. Pure Applied Chem. 12^th Internat. Cong., Sept. 1951; Jour. Appl. Chem. (U.S.S.R.), vol. 2, 1952, pp. 371-380.

Alcohol-rich product obtained by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis at 160°-175° and 150 p.s.i.g. in the presence of a Co catalyst has been examined. It was found that n-primary alcohols constituted 40 wt. % of the organic liquid products and 92.4% of the total oxygenated products. The proportions of acids and carbonyl compounds were, therefore, markedly lower than those reported to be present in an Fe-catalyst product of the hydrocol type. The proportion of MeOH present was very low, EtOH was present in the largest proportion and the proportions of alcohols higher than PrOH decreased with increasing C number. The proportion of PrOH was less than that of BuOH or AmOH so that the C-number distribution curve for the alcohols showed a marked inflexion in the C₃-C₄ region, which is not shown by the published distribution curve for the alcohols in the hydrocol product. From a study of the relative rates of decomposition of a series of n-primary alcohols at 150° in the presence of H₂ and a Co catalyst, it was possible to plot a curve relating alcohol stability and C number. This curve resembled the distribution curve in showing a low value for C₁, a maximum at C₂ and a marked inflexion in the C₃-C₄ region, suggesting that the individual alcohols are present in the synthesis products in proportions which are determined, at least in part, by their relative stabilities under the synthesis conditions. It is considered that the alcohol distribution curve is of a form which would be predicted if the mechanism of alcohol formation involved stepwise addition of methylene radicals to 1 end of a growing chain terminated by a hydroxymethylene radical, and if the survival of the alcohols was controlled by their relative stabilities. It is concluded that there is a balance of evidence in favor of the view that alcohols are the precursors of hydrocarbons in the synthesis.