888. GROOMBRIDGE, W. H., AND NEWNS, J. E. Catalysts, British Patent 507,419. June 9, 1939. Chem. Abs., vol. 34, 1940, p. 598.

Patent Abstracts

Metallic compositions, particularly for use as catalysts in the hydrogenation of C compounds, especially CO, are obtained by heating a mixture, preferably finely divided, of a heavy metal oxide with another metal of higher affinity for O to obtain a porous structure of 1 heavy metal oxide permeated with and acting as a support for an oxide of the other heavy metal, which is then reduced with a gaseous reducing agent to form a porous nonfriable structure of the heavy metal of lower affinity for O permeated with the metal of higher affinity for O. Examples describe the preparation of catalysts by heating CuO with Ni or Co at 900º: the products are broken to about 0.25-in. mesh and reduced by water gas at 350º; the catalysts may be used for the conversion of Co and H₂ to CH₄. Other substances may be applied to or incorporated in the metallic compositions. ThO₂ may be applied or incorporated to give a catalyst suitable for synthesizing hydrocarbons from CO and H₂. The catalysts also are suitable for other reactions, such as conversion of EtOH to Me₂CO or reactions in which the metals combine with and remove O and halogens from compounds.