Guerbet alcohol(s) prodn. - by condensn. of prim. linear alkanol(s) in presence of alkali and catalyst mixt. of iron-III sulphate, basic copper carbonate and nickel

摘要

Guerbet alcohols (I) are produced by condensation of linear prim. aliphatic alcohols (II) in the presence of an alkali or alkaline earth metal hydroxide (III) and a catalyst mixt. contg. Fe(III) sulphate (A), basic Cu carbonate (B) and Ni (C). More specifically, (II) are 6-22C linear prim. aliphatic alcohols, and amt. of (II) is 2-10 wt.% (pref. KOH) w.r.t. (II); wt. ratio A:B:C in the catalyst mixt. is (0.25:0.25:1)-(1:1:1), and catalyst concn. is 0.05-1 wt.% w.r.t. (II); pref. condensation is carried out at 180-250 deg.C. in a cascade appts.. USE/ADVANTAGE - The process is useful for the prodn. of alpha-branched alcohols (I) which are used e.g. in the mfr. of superfatting agents, lubricants, detergents, etc.. The process can be operated as a batch or (pref.) continuous process (contrast prior-art processes); reaction times are also reduced. In an example, octanol was subjected to continuous Guerbet condenstion in a vertical 3-stage cascade appts. in the presence of 4 wt.% KOH and 0.4 wt.% catalyst (Fe2(SO4)3.5H2O/CuCO3.Cu(OH)2/Ni = 1:1:2,; Ni as 17 wt.% slurry in fatty alcohol or fish oil); stages 1, 2 and 3 were operated at 187, 217 and 244 deg.C. respectively, and the reactants were mixed by means of a stream of nitrogen at 800 ml./hr; alcohol (I) was run off at 475 ml/hr. and water at 25 ml/hr.. The alcohol fraction contained 4.5 wt.% 8C, 66.0 wt.% iso-16C and 11.0 wt.% 24C alcohols, and 18.5 wt.% distn. residue.