Methanol dehydrogenation with Raney copper in a slurry reactor

Methanol dehydrogenation to formaldehyde could become a key step in the env ironmentally benign synthesis of several important chemicals. This reaction was studied in a slurry reactor using Raney copper as the catalyst and 1,2 ,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline as the slurry liquid under pressures up to 2.75 MP a and at temperatures between 573 and 648 K. The dehydrogenation of methano l to formaldehyde was found to be near equilibrium at 598 K. There was no e vidence of significant catalyst deactivation at 598 K, but deactivation occ urred at higher temperatures. Methyl formate was the main product, presumab ly due to formaldehyde dimerization. Some formation of carbon monoxide was also observed. There was considerable alkylation of the slurry liquid. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.