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 1469.    HOLM, M. M., NAGEL, R. H., REICHL, E. H., AND VAUGHN, W. E.  Oxo Process.  FIAT Final Rept. 1,000, 76 pp., PB 81,383.

       Historical development of the Oxo process is outlined, and the work of the I. G. Farbenindustrie A.-G. at Leuna and the Ruhrchemie A.-G. at Oberhausen-Holten discussed.  The 10,000 ton-per-day plant at Holten is the only commercial plant in existence, and it was never in actual operation.  The more recent development at Ruhrchemie A.-G. considered in this report covers:  Production of Oxo olefins by cracking of wax; conversion of Oxo alcohol to soaps by fusion with caustic; conversion of Oxo aldehydes to soap by the Canizzaro reaction; the manufacture of highly branched alcohols by alodol condensation of the lower aldehydes and the production and oxonation of olefins in the C₃₀ range for use in cosmetics, emulsifiers, etc.  The main contribution of Leuna to the Oxo problem was the development of the original Ruhrchemie A.-G. process to a continuous operation.  Also described is the modification of Dr. Reppe at Ludwigshafen in which the hydrogenation is carried out over a fixed catalyst bed consisting of Cu chromite instead of Co with Co carbonyl as the active ingredient as at Leuna and Ruhrchemie A.-G.  A commercial development of the process under construction at the end of the war was the Bombrini plant in Italy for the manufacture of propionaldehyde by the oxonation of C₂H₄.  Some discussion is made of the possible mechanism of the process but without conclusion.  A bibliography of references to TOM reels is appended.

       HOLMES, J.  See abs. 2284.