METHYLFORMATE FORMATION FROM METHANOL AND CO ON CU ZNO CATALYSTS/

The reaction mechanism for the methylformate formation on Cu/ZnO catal ysts from methanol and CO was investigated by the labeling study with C-13 methanol. It was found that methylformate could be formed through two parallel reaction routes, i.e., methanol-formaldehyde reaction an d carbonylation of methanol depending upon the catalyst composition as well as the reaction conditions. The major reaction route on the high ZnO-content catalyst (Cu/ZnO=30/70) was found to be the methanol-form aldehyde reaction, and changed to the carbonylation reaction with the increase of CO partial pressure. On the other hand, the major reaction route on the high Cu-content catalyst (Cu/ZnO=80/20) remained as meth anol-formaldehyde reaction even under the high CO pressure.