Hydrogenation of aldehydes at enhanced rate using platinum and ruthenium catalysts

摘要

Aldehydes are hydrogenated with hydrogen containing a small amount of oxygen in the presence of a catalyst containing ruthenium or platinum. In general the product is the corresponding alcohol but when an olefinically unsaturated aldehyde is used as starting material the hydrogenation may be stopped after the saturation of the double bond. Preferably the hydrogen contains 0.1-5% by volume of oxygen. The process may be carried out at 10-250 DEG C. and a pressure from atmospheric to 1,000 psig. The ruthenium or platinum is preferably supported on a carrier, for example, calcium carbonate, zinc oxide, barium sulphate, carbon, alumina and silica. Suitable aldehydes for use as starting materials are for example,, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, n-butyraldehyde, isobutyraldehyde, n-valeraldehyde, n-capronaldehyde, n-heptaldehyde, n-octyl aldehyde, nonyl aldehyde, n-decyl aldehyde, lauryl aldehyde, benzaldehyde, toluylaldehyde, piperonal, naphthaldehyde, methoxybenzaldehyde and undecylenic aldehyde.