Improved Process for Making Ethylene Glycol from Syngas

摘要

This invention concerns a process of making ethylene glycol which comprises the steps of contacting a mixture of CO and H.sub.2 with a catalyst system comprising a ruthenium-containing compound dispersed in a low melting quaternary phosphonium or ammonium base or salt, and heating said resultant reaction mixture under a pressure of 500 psi or greater at a temperature of at least 150 C. for a sufficient time to provide said ethylene glycol.