process for preparing ethylene glycol and lower monossidrilici alcohols from synthesis gas using a special catalytic system

摘要

Ethylene glycol and lower monohydric alcohols are prepared from syn gas in improved yields by contacting a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen with a catalyst system comprising a ruthenium-containing compound and a special manganese-containing compound, both dispersed in a low melting quaternary phosphonium compound, and heating the resulting reaction mixture at a temperature of at least 150 DEG C. and a pressure of at least 500 psi for sufficient time to produce the desired ethylene glycol and monohydric alcohols, and then recovering the same from the reaction mixture.