723. FORD, T. A. (E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.). Hydrogenation of Carboxylic Acids to Alcohols. United States Patent 2,607,807. Aug. 19, 1952. Chem. Abs., vol. 47, 1953. p. 4895.

Patent Abstracts

Describes process for preparation of alcohols in good yields by liquid-phase hydrogenation of unsubstitued carboxylic acids in the presence of a Ru hydrogenation catalyst at relatively low temperature. Thus AcOH 120 and RuO2 1.8 gm. were charged in to shaker tube, and the mixture was shaken 10 hr. at 147º-170º under 700-950 atm. of H₂. Distillation of the reaction mixture produced EtOH as its aqueous azeotrope: 88% conversion of AcOH to EtOH was accomplished. In general, the pressures used may vary 500-1,500 atm.: the preferred temperature range is 120º-200º. Any Ru-containing catalyst may be employed, and any unsubstituted aliphatic mono- or di-carboxylic acid may be converted to the corresponding alcohol.