PATENT

3474. ----- [STANDARD OIL CO.]  Catalytic Synthesis of Hydrocarbons.  British Patent 621,902, Apr. 22, 1949.  Chem. Abs., vol. 43, 1949, p. 8121.

Liquid hydrocarbons can be produced from CO and H₂ by catalytic synthesis y employing a catalyst composed of an Fe compound with a minor proportion of a F compound of K as promoter.  The Fe may be employed as an oxide, such as in the form of red or yellow Fe oxide and Fe ores such as hematite, limonite, and magnetite.  The F compound of K (KF is the preferred promoter) may be present in amounts of 0.1-10%, preferably about 1% of the Fe oxide.  A typical method of preparing the catalyst is as follows:  Red Fe₂O₃ (99.9% Fe₂O₃) 340 is mixed with a solution of KF 3.4 gm. in 160 cc. of distilled H₂O to form a paste.  This paste is dried at 350° F., blended with 4% of a pilling aid (stearates), pilled, and calcined 3 hr. with 1,000 vol. per vol. per hr. of H₂ at 900° F. and hen sintered in H₂ for 4 hr. at 1,200° F.  In carrying out the hydrocarbon synthesis, conventional synthesis conditions for Fe catalysts may be employed such as temperatures of about 450°-850° F., preferably 500°-700° f., pressures of about 3-25 atm., H₂:CO ratios in the range of about 0.6:1-3:1, and space velocities of about 100-2,500 vol. per vol. per hr.  If the formation of large proportions of olefins is desired, it is preferred to employ reaction temperatures above 620° F. and preferably 630°-680° F.