Abstract: Ethanol is produced by reacting methanol with hydrogen and carbon monoxide at elevated temperature and pressure in the presence of a catalyst comprising cobalt, and iodide or a bromide and a compound having X(A)(B)(C) in which formula X is a nitrogen or phosphorus and A, B and C are individually monovalent organic radicals, or X is phosphorus and any two of A,B and C together form an organic divalent cyclic ring system bonded to the X atom, or X is nitrogen and all of A,B and C form an organic trivalent cyclic ring system bonded to the X atom, and in the additional presence of an added inert liquid which is characterized as a compound capable of forming, under normal conditions of temperature and pressure, a separate phase in the presence of methanol containing up to 20% w/w water, which compound contains in its structure bonds other than carbon/carbon and carbon/hydrogen.

Abstract: Amorphous aluminosilicates useful as catalysts, particularly for the decomposition of methanol to synthesis gas, are produced by reacting a source of silica, a source of alumina, a source of alkali metal, water and one or more polyamines other than a diamine. A class of effective polyamines is that known as polyethylene poly amines of which triethylene is representative. The catalytic activity of the aluminosilicate may be enhanced in particular by incorporation of the metals copper, zinc, gallium, bismuth, chromium, thorium, iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, nickel, palladium, iridium or platinum.

Abstract: Ethanol and/or acetaldehyde is (are) produced by reacting methanol and synthesis gas at elevated temperature and pressure in the presence of a catalyst consisting of (a) cobalt, (b) an iodide or a bromide and (c) a polydentate ligand wherein the donor atoms are selected from nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony and bismuth, ethanol being the predominant product when the donor atoms are exclusively nitrogen or phosphorus, particularly phosphorus, and acetaldehyde being the major product when the donor atoms are exclusively arsenic, antimony or bismuth. A particularly effective polydentate ligand is one having the formula:(R.sup.1)(R.sup.2)X--[C(R.sup.5)(R.sup.6)].sub.n --Y(R.sup.3)(R.sup.4) (II)in which X and Y are independently nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony or bismuth; n is an integer; (R.sup.1), (R.sup.2), (R.sup.3) and (R.sup.4) are independently saturated monovalent organic radicals containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms.

Abstract: Aluminosilicates containing an organic nitrogen cation are prepared by mixing sources of silica, alumina and an alkali metal, water and either mono-ethanolamine or mono-propanolamine, or a derivative, or the precursors or a combination thereof and maintaining the mixture at a temperature in the range from 80.degree. to 210.degree. C. and a pressure in the range from 70 to 400 psig for over 4 hours. In a preferred embodiment the alkanolamines are prepared in situ` by reaction of the corresponding alkylene oxide with ammonia. Aluminosilicates so-prepared can be used without modification as catalysts and catalyst supports. Catalytic activity can be enhanced by, for example, reducing the sodium content or impregnating with a compound of one or more metals belonging to Groups 1B, 11B, 111A, 1VA, VA and V111 or reaction with a compound of one or more non-metals of Group 111A and VA of the Periodic Table.

Abstract: Ethanol is produced by reacting methanol with carbon monoxide and hydrogen at temperatures in the range 150.degree. to 250.degree. C. and pressures greater than 100 bar in the presence of a cobalt catalyst and an additive which is miscible with methanol containing up to 20% w/w water, which additive is an alcohol, an aldehyde, a ketone or an ether. Particular additives are n-propanol, n-butanol, acetone, acetaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, tetrahydrofuran, di-n-propylether and diphenyl ether. Optionally the catalyst is promoted with iodine or bromine or preferably both iodine or bromine and an organo-phosphorous compound. Other additives such as non-polar solvents, acids and derivatives thereof and inert liquids can be incorporated in the reaction mixture.

Abstract: Synthesis gas is produced by contacting methanol in the vapor phase with a catalyst which is a supported metal of Group VIII of the Periodic Table either alone or in combination with one or more other metals from Groups I to VIII, excluding binary combinations of copper and nickel, typically at a temperature in the range 200.degree. to 600.degree. C. and at a pressure in the range 0 to 50 atmospheres. The best results are achieved with a mixture of rhodium and copper supported on silica, a 100% molar yield of carbon monoxide on methanol fed being obtained at 450.degree. C., atmospheric pressure and 3.5 second contact time.