2391.     NATTA, G., AND PASTONESI, G.  [Kinetics of the Synthesis of Methanol.]  Chimica e industria, vol. 19, 1937, pp. 313-318; Chem. Zentralb., 1937, II, p. 3297; Chem. Abs., vol. 31, 1937, p. 8337.

        Equilibrium data for the synthesis of MeOH are best expressed assuming that the change occurs in 2 stages CO+H₂=CH₂O and CH₂O+H₂=MeOH.  The first equation is slow, while the second is almost instantaneous, so that analysis shows only a minimum of CH₂O present at any time.  The equation of the reaction curve is expressed as

d(K’₃t)/dx=1/{2(a-x)²-[Kx/2(a-x)]},

where a=partial pressure of CO, x=amount of CO converted in time t, and thus equals the amount of CH₂O formed.  The heat of reaction is calculated as 21,000 cal.