3592.     WALKER, J. C., AND MALAKOFF, H. L.  Basic Oxygenated Chemicals From C₁, C₂, and C₃ Paraffins and Olefins.  Petrol. Refiner, vol. 25, 1946, pp. 607-612; Oil Gas Jour., vol. 45, No. 33, 1946, pp. 59, 60, 62, 65; Chem. Abs., vol. 41, 1947, p. 1598.

        Four methods for producing oxygenated hydrocarbons are discussed briefly:  (1) Direct oxidation; (2) dehydrogenation followed by oxidation and hydration; (3) oxidation to CO and H₂ followed by hydrogenation of the CO; (4) chlorination followed by hydrolysis.  With the aliphatic gases as raw materials in the direct-oxidation process, a typical oxygenated crude liquid will contain about 35% MeOH, 20% HCHO, and 5% AcH as principal products.  Partial oxidation of natural gas to CO and H₂ for production of MeOH, which by further oxidation yields HCHO, has been the impetus to the development of the bakelite-type plastics industry.  The production of EtOH from C₂H₄ illustrates commercial production by hydration, which is displacing older established methods.  C₂H₄, which is expected to be available at $0.02 per lb., will reduce the cost of synthetic EtOH to $0.10 per gal.  Future oxidation processes now in the pilot-plant stage include the Fischer-Tropsch, nitration, thermal cracking plus hydration, and electric discharge plus hydration.