2766. REITSTÖTTER, —. (Metallgesellschaft A. G.). [Process for the Recovery of Alcohols.] German Patent Appl. M 147,073, PA 98,309, filed Feb. 13, 1940 (Cl. IV d-12 o). FIAT Reel B-196, frames 310-314; PB 83,253.

In separating mixtures of primary aliphatic alcohols and hydrocarbons obtained from the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, there is added an excess, preferably up to 5 times the amount of alcohols in the mixture, of dehydrated CaCl₂, which forms crystallized addition products of the alcohols, from which the hydrocarbons can be separated by means of solvents, by centrifuging, or by filtration. Example: 100 parts of a mixture, obtained by the hydrogenation of CO at temp. > 220° and pressure > 15 atm. in presence of a Co catalyst and consisting of 40% alcohols and 60% hydrocarbons, are stirred with 200 gm. of powdered, dehydrated CaCl₂ and allowed to stand for 5 hr. After the portion b. >300° is separated and the temperature brought down to 45°, 50 parts of the original raw material is added and the crystallized addition product separated by centrifuging. The alcohols are then recovered therefrom by washing in an equal amount of warm H₂O. A yield of 38 parts of alcohol having an OH number of 230 is obtained.