PROCESS FOR PREPARING METHYL FORMATE BY REACTION OF METHANOL WITH CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE PRESENCE OF A CATALYST SYSTEM COMPRISING ALKALI METAL FORMATE AND ALKALI METAL ALKOXIDE

摘要

Process for preparing methyl formate by carbonylation of methanol by means of carbon monoxide in a carbonylation reactor in the presence of a catalyst system comprising alkali metal formate and alkali metal alkoxide to give a reaction mixture (R_M) which comprises methyl formate, alkali metal formate, alkali metal alkoxide and possibly unreacted methanol and unreacted carbon monoxide and is taken from the carbonylation reactor, wherein the reaction mixture (R_M) comprises at least 0.5% by weight of alkali metal alkoxide based on the total weight of the reaction mixture (R_M) and the molar ratio of alkali metal formate to alkali metal alkoxide in the reaction mixture (R_M) is greater than 1.