Improvements in or relating to the production of ethylene from ethyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol from ethylene

摘要

The catalytic hydration of ethylene to produce alcohol and the catalytic dehydration of alcohol to produce ethylene are effected in the presence of strontium metaphosphate which may be employed alone, viz. in association with known catalysts and/or with supports such as pumice or asbestos. The reactions are preferably effected in the vapour phase, and pressure may be employed especially for the hydration of ethylene, 100 atmospheres being mentioned. The catalyst may be prepared by heating one molecular proportion of strontium carbonate with two molecular proportions of aqueous phosphoric acid the mixture being evaporated to dryness and dried at a temperature not above 300 DEG C. In examples: (1) ethyl alcohol is passed over the catalyst at 250 DEG C. and atmospheric pressure; (2) a mixture of 70 volumes of ethylene and 30 volumes of steam is passed over the catalyst at 290 DEG C. and 100 atmospheres pressure.