Compound: Molecular formula: Molecular Structure:

2-Ethyl Hexanol 2-ethyl hexanol C8H18O

Properties:

a) Appearance b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) Solubility Molar mass Density Melting point Boiling point Vapor pressure Refractive Index Flash point

Colorless liquid Insoluble in water, Soluble in most of organic solvents 130.23 g/mol 833 g/L 76C 180-186C 30 Pa 1.431 81C

Applications: a) It is used in preparation of Di-Octyl Phthalate, which is used as plasticizers. b) To produce 2-ethylhexylacrylate, a monomer used to modify the properties of acrylic and methacrylic polyesters. c) It is also used as a solvent and has a particular niche use in the formation of lacquers and coatings when slow evaporation is desired. d) It is also an excellent defoaming agent for use in the photographic, varnish, rubber latex, textile printing and ceramic industries and can be used to advantage wherever foaming is undesirable.

e) It is related in production of Nitrate esters, lube and fuel additives, surfactants, mining, stabilizers, solvent extractions, oil floatation, agricultural chemicals, engine machinery lubrication etc. f) It is used to produce various esters of adipic acid, para-hydroxybenzoic acid sebacic acid, azelaic acid, trimellitic acid, stearic acid ,terephthalic acid, phosphoric acid, etc. g) It is used as a low-volatility solvent, for resins, waxes animal fats, vegetable oils and petroleum derivatives. h) It is used as low-volatility ingredient in solvent blends for the dyestuffs and coatings industries, e.g., in printing and stamp pad inks, dipping lacquers, etc. i) It is used as flow and gloss improver in baking finishes ,additive in dispersing and wetting agents for pigment pastes , low-volatility solvent in some disinfectants and insecticidal sprays, feedstock for the manufacture of ethoxylates. j) It is used as feedstock in the manufacture of herbicides, e.g., 2-ethylhexyl esters of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid , feedstock in the manufacture of extractants, e.g., for heavy metals. k) It is used as feedstock for the manufacture of 2-ethylhexyl sulphate, which is used as a surfactant for electrolytes. l) It is used in antifoams for almost all aqueous systems, e.g., those in the textile and paper industries. In this application, very low proportions of 2ethylhexanol, viz. 0.1%, are required, and higher proportions must be avoided, because they may be responsible for the reoccurrence of pronounced foaming. Methods of Preparations: There are four general methods of preparation, which are shown below 1. Acetaldehyde route 2. Oxo process 3. Aldox process 4. Shell variant process

1. Acetaldehyde route: The acetaldehyde route starts from ethylene and operates at near atmosphere pressure. Ethylene is first oxidized to acetaldehyde, which is then converted to crotonaldehyde via aldol reaction & hydrogenated to n-butyraldehyde. The following are reaction steps for this process:
Oxidation CH2=CH2 Dehydrogenation CH3-CH2-OH 2 CH3-CHO CH3-CHO CH3-CH-(OH)-CH2-CHO iso-butyraldehyde CH3-CH-(OH)-CH2-CHO CH3-CH=CH-CHO +H2O Crotonaldehyde CH3-CH2-CH2-CHO CH3-CHO

CH3-CH=CH-CHO +H2

n-butyraldehyde
2CH3-CH2-CH2-CHO CH3-CH2-CH2-CH=C-CHO + H2O

2-Ethyl hexanal
CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2- CH=C-CHO +2 H2 CH2=CH2

CH2=CH2

CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2 CH-CH2OH +

2-Ethyl hexanol CH2=CH2

2. Oxo route: Oxo synthesis or oxo process is an important homogeneously catalyzed industrial process for the production of aldehydes from alkenes. This chemical reaction entails the addition of a formyl group (CHO) and a hydrogen atom to a carboncarbon double bond. The following is reaction scenario of oxo synthesis. The oxo process of production of 2-ethyl hexanol has three steps of conversions.

They are a) Hydroformylation b) Aldolization c) Hydogenation a) Hydroformylation

130C, 350 bars 2H3C-CH=CH2+2CO+2H2 H3C H3C-CH2-CH2-CHO+H3C-CH-CHO

The above is reaction of hydroformylation, which takes place at 130C, 350 bars. The feeds to the reactor are synthesis gas and propylene in the molar ratio 2:1. The catalyst used is Cobalt Carbonyl in the solution (0.1-1.0 wt% Cobalt concentration). b) Aldolization

2% NaOH&80-130C 2H3C-CH2-CH2-CHO (3-10) atm CH2-H3C CH3-CH2-CH2-CH=C-CHO +H2O

The above Aldolization reaction takes place at80-1300C & pressures 3-10 atmospheres. c) Hydogenation
CH3-CH2-CH2-CH=C-CHO +2H2 CH2-H3C
Nickel

CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH-CH2OH CH2-H3C

Hydrogenation takes place in the presence of Raney Nickel catalyst. 3. Aldox process Aldox process is in which co-catalysts are added to the actual Oxo catalyst enabling aldolization to occur in the same phase. Consequently, after

hydrogenation, a mixture results consisting of 2-EH, isomeric C8 alcohols & isobutanol. 4. Shell variant process In the shell process a complex (ligand-modified hydroformylation catalyst) is employed. This permits operation at lower pressure and higher selectivity. However, the reaction velocity is lower & part of the propylene is converted to propane. Selection of Process: Although there are 4 processes to manufacture 2-ethyl hexanol, the oxo process is predominant among them. The acetaldehyde process requires huge production of ethanol or ethylene. However, this is possible if large scale production of ethanol from biological sources like molasses. The last two processes, (Aldox and shell variant process) are under development and considerable research must be done considering it. Also by modified technologies of Fluid catalytic cracking like deep catalytic cracking and suitable usage of enhanced catalysts the propylene production can be increased thereby favoured the worldwide production by Oxo process. Finally due the above mentioned conditions, which are favorable to produce 2ethyl hexanol by oxo-process is preferred than other processes.