3350.     ---------------.  [TECHNICAL OIL MISSION.]  Combined Intelligence Objectives Subcommittee Investigation of Ruhr Synthetic Oil Plants.  TIIC Rept. 17; Nat. Petrol. News, vol. 37, No. 45, 1945, pp. R-861-864.

        Summary report of the visit to 7 plants using the Fischer-Tropsch process and to 3 using the hydrogenation process. No new developments were found to offset the economic disadvantages of both processes.  Indications were that the German government had discontinued the construction of Fischer-Tropsch plants and was planning to build additional hydrogenation plants.  The Ruhr plants were found to be using the ordinary Co-Th-Mg-kieselguhr catalyst.  It seems clear that no German plants have been using the Fe catalyst but that it was to be used in a projected Italian plant.  The Fe catalyst consists of 100 parts Fe, 2.5-4 Cu, 10 lime, and 15 kieselguhr and is prepared from the nitrates by precipitation with CO₂.  Something was learned of the Oxo process for making alcohols by the Fischer-Tropsch process.  Fischer-Tropsch C₁₂-C₁₇ olefins are treated at 140° and 150 atm. over a Co catalyst to produce aldehydes, which are reduced to alcohols over a Ni catalyst at 180° and 150 atm.  The alcohols are converted into sulfonic ester soaps.