ETHYLENE GLYCOL AND ETHANOL BY HYDROGENOLYSIS OF HIGHER GLYCOLS

摘要

This invention relates to a process for cleaving a polyalkylene glycol. e.g., diethylene glycol, containing at least one ether group therein at a carbon-to-oxygen covalent bond by heating the polyalkylene glycol with molecular hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, e.g., copper chromite, to produce both monoethylene glycol and ethanol.