GB378865A - Improvements in or relating to the production of alcohols from olefines - Google Patents

Abstract

A mixture of 62 parts boric acid and 200 parts of 50 per cent phosphoric acid is evaporated to dryness. The product, boron phosphate, is freed from acid by heating to 400 DEG C. in a current of steam until the exit vapour gives no acid reaction to bromthymol-blue.ALSO:Olefines are hydrated catalytically in the liquid or vapour phase, boron phosphate being employed as catalyst. Suitable temperatures are between 150-300 DEG C., and elevated pressures are preferred. In the liquid phase operation, the olefine may be compressed to about 100 atmospheres and brought into contact with an aqueous suspension of boron phosphate. In the vapour phase, it is preferred to use a large excess of olefine relative to water vapour, the reaction products being cooled to separate aqueous alcohol and the surplus olefine being recirculated. The catalyst may be prepared by evaporating to dryness a mixture of phosphoric and boric acids, and is preferably purified from free acid, e.g. by heating at 400 DEG C. in a current of steam. The examples illustrate the production of isopropyl alcohol from equimolecular proportions of propylene and steam, of ethyl and isopropyl alcohols, together with some oil and a little acetaldehyde from a mixture of 4 parts of crude oil cracking gas and 1 part of steam, and of ethyl alcohol from steam and excess of ethylene.