PURPOSE: To obtain the objective compound at high rate of reaction in high selectivity from methanol, CO and H2, by using cobalt phosphine carbonyl complex as a catalyst.
CONSTITUTION: Ethanol is produced by reacting methanol with CO and H2 at 200W250°C under 100W500kg/cm2 pressure using a complex of formula Co(CO)3.R1R2R3P.R4R5PO (R1WR5 is H, 1W20C alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl which may contain N, O, S, halogen, etc.). The catalyst can be produced by heating a Co compound (e.g. dicobalt octacarbonyl) and a phosphine compound (e.g. triethylphosphine) in a solvent in the presence of synthetic gas and recovering the active complex catalyst component from the resultant catalyst-containing liquid by column chromatography. It is also possible to recover and reuse only the active complex from the catalyst liquid having lowered activity after the reaction. The combined use of corrosive compound is not necessary.
UDA AKITOMO
TANAKA KAZUO
HOSOKAWA MOTOMASA
