Isobutanol-methanol mixtures from synthesis gas. Quarterly technical progress report, 1 January--31 March 1996

A series of CuMgCeO{sub x} catalysts have been prepared. Range of Cu dispersion, determined by N{sub 2}O titration, was 19-48% and are among the highest reported in the literature for Cu-based methanol and higher alcohol synthesis catalysts. Kinetics of MeOH and EtOH coupling reactions on Cu/ZnO and K-Cu/MgO/CeO{sub 2} catalysts indicate that Cu promotes alcohol dehydrogenation. Acetaldehyde is a reactive intermediate. High-pressure isobutanol synthesis studies have been carried out on K- and Cs-promoted Cu/MgO/CeO{sub 2} catalysts. The K promoter is more active than Cs for CO conversion, but the Cs promoter activates the C{sub 1} to C{sub 2} step more effectively. Catalysts with high alkali loading resulted in low conversions. Temperature programmed surface reaction studies of MeOH, EtOH, and acetaldehyde on MgO/CeO{sub 2}-based Cu catalysts show evolution of acetone, crotonaldehyde, methyl ethyl ketone, H2, carbon oxides. Neither EtOH nor acetaldehyde produces propionaldehyde or 1- propanol, suggesting that these C{sub 3} species can only form via reactions involving C{sub 1} and C{sub 2} oxygenate species