Ethanol → Propanal

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Absolute ethanol (78.43 g.) and cobaltous trifluoroacetate tetrahydrate (4.30 g.) were charged to a 300 ml. autoclave system as described in Examples 3-7. The autoclave was pressurized to 3000 psig with a 1:1 mole ratio mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at room temperature and then heated to 190° C. At 190° C. the pressure was brought to 5000 psigg with the same gas mixture and the reaction was carried out under these conditions for four hours. After cooling to room temperature the mixture was vented and the liquid product mixture removed from the autoclave. A total weight of 86.79 g. of product was obtained or a yield of 82.49 g. of volatiles. The volatile product mixture was analyzed via gas chromatography using the procedure described in Examples 3-7. The run had an ethanol conversion of 14% and produced water (6.1 g.), propionaldehyde (0.7 g.), n-propanol (3.7 g.), ethyl propionate (0.1 g.) and a total weight of unknown compounds (3.6 g.).

Provenance & Evidence