HYDROGENOLYSIS PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MONOETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOMETHYL ETHER, MONOETHYLENE GLYCOL AND ETHANOL

摘要

AbstractThis invention relates to a process forselectively cleaving a polyalkylene glycol, e.g.,diethylene glycol, containing at least one ethergroup therein at a carbon-to-oxygen covalent bondand independently at a carbon-to-carbon covalentbond by heating the polyalkylene glycol withmolecular hydrogen in the presence of ahydrogenation catalyst containing ruthenium toproduce at least one of monoethylene glycolmonomethyl ether, monoethylene glycol and ethanol.The production rate of each of said monoethyleneglycol monomethyl ether, monoethylene glycol andethanol is at least about 10 moles/kilogramruthenium/hour.- 33 -