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Z Z 7 $88218) (Continued) : (12) United States Patent (10) Patent N0.: Us 8,791,297 B2
Z Z 7 $88218) (Continued) : (12) United States Patent (10) Patent N0.: Us 8,791,297 B2
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US. Patent Jul. 29, 2014 Sheet 3 0f3 US 8,791,297 B2
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8 HCOOH
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13
US 8,791,297 B2
1 2
PROCESS FOR PREPARING FORMIC ACID Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir and/or Pt. The catalyst prefer
BY REACTION OF CARBON DIOXIDE WITH ably comprises Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir and/or Pt, particularly
HYDROGEN preferably Ru, Rh and/ or Pd and very particularly preferably
Ru.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This patent application claims the bene?t of pending US. To make an economical process possible, the catalyst used
provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/359,405 ?led Jun. has to be separated off ideally completely from the product
29, 2010 incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. stream and recirculated to the reaction, for two reasons:
10
(1) large losses of the expensive catalyst would incur consid
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
erable additional costs and would be prohibitive for eco
nomical operation of the process.
The invention relates to a process for preparing formic acid
by reaction of carbon dioxide with hydrogen in a hydrogena (2) in the thermal dissociation of the formic acid/ amine
tion reactor in the presence of a catalyst comprising an ele adducts, very little catalyst should be present since in the
ment of group 8, 9 or 10 of the Periodic Table, a tertiary amine absence of a C02 and/or H2 pressure this also catalyzes the
and a polar solvent to form formic acid/amine adducts as reverse reaction and thus leads to losses of the formic acid
intermediates which are subsequently thermally dissociated. formed.
C02 +
l Recirculation
cat. A, vacuum
choorva3 co2 + H2 + NR3
Adducts of formic acid and tertiary amines can be ther 35 Decomposition of formic acid/amine adducts in the pres
mally dissociated into free formic acid and tertiary amine and ence of a catalyst (x:0.4—3)
therefore serve as intermediates in the preparation of formic The transition metal-catalyzed decomposition of formic
acid. acid has been described comprehensively, especially
Formic acid is an important and versatile product. It is recently: C. Fellay, N.Yan, P. J. Dyson, G. Laurenczy Chem.
40
used, for example, for acidi?cation in the production of ani Eur. J. 2009, 15, 3752-3760; C. Fellay, P. J. Dyson, G. Lau
mal feeds, as preservative, as disinfectant, as auxiliary in the renczy Angew. Chem. 2008, 120, 4030-4032; B. Loges, A.
textile and leather industry, as a mixture with its salts for Boddien, H. Junge, M. BellerAngew. Chem. 2008, 120, 4026
deicing aircraft and runways and also as synthetic building 4029; F. 100' ChemSusChem 2008, 1, 805-808; S. Enthaler
block in the chemical industry. 45
ChemSusChem 2008, 1, 801-804; S. Fukuzumi, T. Koba
The abovementioned adducts of formic acid and tertiary yashi, T. Suenobu ChemSusChem 2008, 1, 827-834;A. Bod
amines can be prepared in various ways, for example (i) by dien, B. Loges, H. Junge, M. Beller ChemSusChem 2008, 1,
direct reaction of tertiary amine with formic acid, (ii) by 751-758.
hydrolysis of methyl formate to form formic acid in the pres
The catalysts used here are in principle also suitable in
ence of the tertiary amine or (iii) by catalytic hydration of
principle for the hydrogenation of CO2 to formic acid (P. G.
carbon monoxide or hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to form
Jessop, T. Ikariya, R. Noyori Chem. Rev. 1995, 95, 259-272;
formic acid in the presence of the tertiary amine. The latter
P. G. Jessop, F. 100', C. C. Tai Coord. Chem. Rev. 2004, 248,
process of catalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide has the
2425-2442; P. G. Jessop, Homogeneous Hydrogenation of
particular advantage that carbon dioxide is available in large 55
Carbon Dioxide, in: The Handbook ofHomogeneous Hydro
quantities and is ?exible in terms of source.
genation, Hrsg.: J. G. deVries, C. J. Elsevier, Volume 1, 2007,
An industrially promising process appears to be, in particu
Wiley-VCH, pp. 489-511). Thus, the hydrogenation catalysts
lar, the catalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide in the pres
have to be separated off before the thermal dissociation in
ence of amines (W. Leitner, Angewandte Chemie 1995, 107, order to prevent the undesirable decomposition of formic
60
pages 2391 to 2405; P. G. Jessop, T. Ikariya, R. Noyori, acid.
Chemical Reviews 1995, 95, pages 259 to 272). The adducts
WO 2008/116,799 discloses a process for the hydrogena
of formic acid and amines formed here can be thermally tion of carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalyst which
dissociated into formic acid and the amine used, which can be comprises a transition metal of transition group VIII (groups
recirculated to the hydrogenation. 65 8, 9, 10) and is suspended or homogeneously dissolved in a
The catalyst necessary for the reaction comprises one or solution, a tertiary amine having at least one hydroxyl group
more elements from group 8, 9 or 10 of the Periodic Table, i.e. and a polar solvent to form an adduct of formic acid and the
US 8,791,297 B2
3 4
tertiary amine. The hydroxyl group(s) in the tertiary amine to EP 0 126 524 A with subsequent replacement of the tertiary
enable an increased carbon dioxide solubility compared to the amine in the adduct which has been separated off by distilla
triethylamine which is usually used to be achieved. As pre tion by a weaker, less volatile nitrogen base before thermal
ferred homogeneous catalysts, mention may be made of cleavage of the adduct in order to aid or make possible the
RuH2L4 having monodentate phosphorus-based ligands L subsequent thermal dissociation to produce free formic acid.
and RuH2(LL)2 having bidentate phosphorus-based ligands EP 0 181 078 A teaches the targeted choice of the polar
LL and particularly preferably RuH2[P(C6H5)3]4. As polar solvent on the basis of three essential criteria which have to be
solvents, mention may be made of alcohols, ethers, sul ful?lled at the same time:
folanes, dimethyl sulfoxide and amides whose boiling point (i) the homogeneous catalyst has to be soluble in the polar
at atmospheric pressure is at least 5° C. above that of formic solvent;
acid. The tertiary amines which are preferably to be used also (ii) the polar solvent must not have an adverse effect on the
have a boiling point above that of formic acid. Since no phase hydrogenation; and
separation takes place, the work-up of the entire reaction (iii) the adduct of formic acid and the tertiary amine which is
product mixture is carried out by distillation, optionally after formed should be able to be readily separated off from the
prior removal of the catalyst, in which the adduct of formic polar solvent.
acid and the tertiary amine which is formed is thermally As particularly suitable polar solvents, mention is made of
dissociated and the formic acid liberated is isolated as over various glycols and phenyipropanols.
head product. The bottom product comprising tertiary amine, According to the teaching of EP 0 181 078 A, the work-up
polar solvent and optionally catalyst is recirculated to the of the reaction product mixture is carried out by ?rstly sepa
hydrogenation stage. 20 rating off the gaseous components (in particular unreacted
A disadvantage of this process is the introduction of the starting materials hydrogen and carbon dioxide) at the top of
entire liquid reaction product mixture into the apparatus for an evaporator and separating off the homogeneous catalyst
thermal dissociation and distillation, optionally after prior dissolved in the polar solvent at the bottom and recirculating
speci?c removal of the homogeneous catalyst by means of a them to the hydrogenation stage. The adduct of formic acid
separate process step, for example an extraction, adsorption 25 and the tertiary amine is subsequently separated off from the
or ultra?ltration step. The apparatus for the thermal dissocia remaining liquid phase comprising the adduct of formic acid
tion and distillation consequently has to be made larger and and the tertiary amine, free tertiary amine and possibly water
more complex both in terms of the higher liquid throughput and the remaining part of the liquid phase comprising the free
and the more speci?c separation properties, which is tertiary amine and possibly water is recirculated to the hydro
re?ected, inter alia, in the capital costs (for example via 30 genation stage. The separation can be effected by distillation
engineering input, material, space requirement). In addition, or phase separation of the two-phase system (decantation).
the higher liquid throughput also results in a higher energy A further signi?cant teaching of EP 0 181 078 A is the
usage. subsequent, absolutely necessary replacement of the tertiary
However, the fundamental work on the catalytic hydroge amine in the adduct which has been separated off by a weaker,
nation of carbon dioxide to form formic acid was carried out 35 less volatile nitrogen base before the adduct is thermally
as early as the 1970s and 1980s. The processes ofBP Chemi dissociated in order to aid or make possible the subsequent
cals Ltd ?led as the patents EP 0 095 321A, EP 0 151 510A thermal dissociation to produce free formic acid. As particu
and EP 0 181 078A may be considered to result therefrom. All larly suitable weaker nitrogen bases, mention is made of
three documents describe the hydrogenation of carbon diox imidazole derivatives such as 1-n-butylimidazole.
ide in the presence of a homogeneous catalyst comprising a 40 A disadvantage of the process of EP 0 181 078 A is the very
transition metal of transition group V111 (groups 8, 9, 10), a complicated, four- stage work-up of the reaction product mix
tertiary amine and a polar solvent to form an adduct of formic ture by
acid and the tertiary amine. As preferred homogeneous cata (i) separating off the gaseous components and also the homo
lysts, EP 0 095 321A and EP 0 181 078 A in each case make geneous catalyst and the polar solvent in an evaporator and
mention of ruthenium-based carbonyl-, halide- and/or triph 45 recirculating them to the hydrogenation stage;
enylphosphine-comprising complex catalysts and EP 0 151 (ii) separating off the adduct of formic acid and the tertiary
510 A mentions rhodium-phosphine complexes. Preferred amine in a distillation column or a phase separator and
tertiary amines are C1-ClO-trialkylamines, in particular the recirculating the remaining liquid stream to the hydroge
short-chain C1-C4-trialkylamines, and also cyclic and/or nation stage;
bridged amines such as 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene, 50 (iii) replacing the tertiary amine in the adduct of formic acid
1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, pyridine or picolines. The and the tertiary amine by a weaker, less volatile nitrogen
hydrogenation is carried out at a carbon dioxide partial pres base in a reaction vessel having a superposed distillation
sure of up to 6 MPa (60 bar), a hydrogen partial pressure of up column and recirculating the tertiary amine liberated to the
to 25 MPa (250 bar) and a temperature from about room hydrogenation stage; and
temperature to 200° C. 55 (iv) thermally dissociating the adduct of formic acid and the
EP 0 095 321A and EP 0151510 A teach the use ofan weaker nitrogen base and recirculating the weaker nitrogen
alcohol as polar solvent. However, since primary alcohols base liberated to the base replacement stage.
tend to form formic esters (organic formates), secondary A further, important disadvantage of the process of EP 0
alcohols, in particular isopropanol, are preferred. In addition, 181 078A and also ofthe processes ofEP 0 095 321A and EP
the presence of water is described as advantageous. Accord 60 0 151 510 A is the fact that the adduct of formic acid and the
ing to the examples in EP 0 095 321 A, the reaction product tertiary amine partly redissociates into carbon dioxide and
mixture is worked up by directly subsequent two-stage dis hydrogen in the presence of the homogeneous catalyst during
tillation in which the low boilers alcohol, water, tertiary the work-up in the evaporator. As a solution to this problem,
amine are separated off in the ?rst stage and the adduct of EP 0 329 337 A proposes the addition of a decomposition
formic acid and the tertiary amine is separated off at the top 65 inhibitor which reversibly inhibits the homogeneous catalyst.
under vacuum conditions in the second stage. EP 0 151 510A As preferred decomposition inhibitors, mention is made of
likewise teaches a work-up by distillation, but with reference carbon monoxide and oxidants. However, disadvantages of
US 8,791,297 B2
5 6
this are the introduction of further sub stances into the overall amino groups, aromatic nitrogen heterocycles such as pyri
process and the necessity of reactivating the inhibited homo dine or N-methylimidazole and also cyclic and/or bridged
geneous catalyst before it is used further. amines such as N-methylpiperidine, 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]
EP 0 357 243 A, too, addresses the disadvantage of the undec-7-ene or 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane. As suitable
partial redissociation of the adduct of formic acid and the polar solvents, mention is made of the low-boiling C1-C4
tertiary amine in the process of EP 0 181 078 A by joint monoalcohols, and, in a manner analogous to EP 0 095 321 A,
work-up of the reaction product mixture in the evaporator. secondary alcohols are preferred. The hydrogenation is car
The process proposed in EP 0 357 243 A teaches the use ofa ried out at a total pressure of from 4 to 20 MPa (from 40 to 200
homogeneous catalyst comprising a transition metal of tran bar) and a temperature of from 50 to 200° C. For the work-up
sition group VIII (groups 8, 9, 10), a tertiary amine and two of the adduct of formic acid and tertiary amine which is
different solvents, namely a nonpolar, inert solvent and a formed, DE 44 31 233 A teaches the use of known methods
polar, inert solvent, which form two immiscible liquid phases with explicit reference to the work-up with replacement of the
in the catalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to form an tertiary amine in the adduct of formic acid and the tertiary
adduct of formic acid and tertiary amine. As nonpolar sol amine by a weaker, less volatile nitrogen base as disclosed in
vents, mention is made of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocar EP 0 357 243 A. In a manner analogous to the process of EP
bons but also of phosphines having aliphatic and/or aromatic 0 357 243 A, the process of DE 44 31 233 A also has the
hydrocarbon radicals. Polar solvents mentioned are water, disadvantage of the very complicated, three-stage work-up of
glycerol, alcohols, polyols, sulfolanes and mixtures thereof, the reaction product mixture.
with water being preferred. The homogeneous catalyst dis
solves in the nonpolar solvent and the adduct of formic acid 20 BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
and tertiary amine dissolves in the polar solvent. After the
reaction is complete, the two liquid phases are separated, for It was an object of the present invention to provide a pro
example by decantation, and the nonpolar phase comprising cess for preparing formic acid by hydrogenation of carbon
the homogeneous catalyst and the nonpolar solvent is recir dioxide, which does not have the abovementioned disadvan
culated to the hydrogenation stage. The polar phase compris 25 tages of the prior art or suffers from them only to a signi?
ing the adduct of formic acid and tertiary amine and the polar cantly reduced extent and which leads to concentrated formic
solvent is then subjected to an absolutely necessary replace acid in a high yield and high purity. Furthermore, the process
ment of the tertiary amine in the adduct by a weaker, less should be able to be carried out in a simple manner or at least
volatile nitrogen base before thermal dissociation of the a simpler manner than is described in the prior art, in particu
adduct in order to aid or make possible the subsequent ther 30 lar by means of a simpler process concept for working up the
mal dissociation to produce free formic acid. In a manner output from the hydrogenation reactor, simpler process
analogous to EP 0 181 078 A, imidazole derivatives such as stages, a reduced number of process stages or simpler appa
1-n-butylimidazole are also mentioned here as particularly ratuses. In addition, the process should also be able to be
suitable weaker nitrogen bases. carried out with the lowest possible consumption of energy.
A disadvantage ofthe process ofEP 0 357 243 A is the very 35 The work-up of the output from the hydrogenation reactor
complicated, three-stage work-up of the reaction product should, in particular, be carried out using exclusively the
mixture by materials present in the process, without additional auxilia
(i) separating the two liquid phases and recirculating the ries, and these should be able to be completely or largely
phase comprising the homogeneous catalyst and the non completely recycled in the process.
polar solvent to the hydrogenation stage; 40 The object is achieved by a process for preparing formic
(ii) replacing the tertiary amine in the adduct of formic acid acid by reaction of carbon dioxide with hydrogen in a hydro
and the tertiary amine of the other phase by a weaker, less genation reactor in the presence of
volatile nitrogen base in a reaction vessel with superposed a catalyst comprising an element of group 8, 9 or 10 of the
distillation column and recirculating the tertiary amine Periodic Table,
liberated to the hydrogenation stage; and 45 a tertiary amine comprising at least 12 carbon atoms per
(iii) thermally dissociating the adduct of formic acid and the molecule and
weaker nitrogen base and recirculating the weaker nitrogen a polar solvent comprising one or more monoalcohols
base liberated to the base replacement stage. selected from among methanol, ethanol, propanols and
A further disadvantage ofthe process ofEP 0 357 243 A is butanols and also water,
the use of two solvents and thus introduction of a further 50 to form formic acid/amine adducts as intermediates which are
substance into the overall process. subsequently thermally dissociated,
As an alternative, EP 0 357 243 A also discloses the pos where a tertiary amine which has a boiling point at least 5° C.
sibility of using only one solvent. In this case, the addition of higher than that of formic acid and
the polar solvent in which the adduct of formic acid and the two liquid phases are formed in the hydrogenation, namely a
tertiary amine would otherwise dissolve is omitted. The sole 55 lower phase which comprises predominantly the polar sol
solvent used here is the nonpolar solvent which dissolves the vent and in which the formic acid/amine adducts are present
homogeneous catalyst. However, this alternative also has the in enriched form and an upper phase which comprises pre
disadvantage of the very complicated, three-stage work-up as dominantly the tertiary amine and in which the catalyst is
described above. present in enriched form, wherein the work-up of the output
DE 44 31 233 A likewise describes the hydrogenation of 60 from the hydrogenation reactor is carried out by the following
carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalyst comprising a process steps:
transition metal of transition group VIII (groups 8, 9, 10), a 1) separation of the two liquid phases from the hydrogena
tertiary amine and a polar solvent and water to form an adduct tion reactor in a phase separation vessel, recirculation of
of formic acid and the tertiary amine, in which, however, the the upper phase from the phase separation vessel to the
catalyst is present in heterogeneous form and the active com 65 hydrogenation reactor and passing-on of the lower phase
ponent is applied to a inert support. Preferred tertiary amines from the phase separation vessel to an extraction appa
are C1-C8-trialkylamines, polyamines having from 2 to 5 ratus in which
US 8,791,297 B2
7 8
2) residues of catalyst are extracted with the same tertiary 1 -hexyl, 1 -heptyl, 1-octyl, 1 -nonyl, 1 -decyl, 1-undecyl,
amine which was used in the hydrogenation and the 1 -dodecyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl and
catalyst-laden tertiary amine is recycled to the hydroge cyclooctyl, methylcyclopentyl, methylcyclohexyl, 1-(2-me
nation reactor and the catalyst-free stream of polar sol thyl)pentyl 1-(2-ethyl)hexyl, 1-(2-propyl)heptyl and norbo
vent loaded with the formic acid/amine adducts is nyl. The unbranched or branched, acyclic or cyclic, aliphatic
passed on to a distillation unit in which radical preferably comprises at least 1 and preferably not
3) the polar solvent is separated off as overhead stream and more than 10 carbon atoms. In the case of an exclusively
recycled to the hydrogenation reactor to give a stream cyclic radical in the abovementioned sense, the number of
which carbon atoms is from 3 to 12 and preferably at least 4 and also
4) is separated in a phase separation vessel into an upper preferably not more than 8. Preferred radicals are ethyl, 1-bu
phase comprising predominantly the tertiary amine and tyl, sec-butyl, 1-octyl and cyclohexyl.
a lower phase comprising predominantly the formic
The phosphine group can comprise one, two or three of the
acid/ amine adducts, where
5) the lower phase from the phase separation vessel is fed abovementioned unbranched or branched, acyclic or cyclic,
to a thermal dissociation unit and dissociated therein aliphatic radicals. These can be identical or different. The
into a stream which comprises the tertiary amine and is phosphine group preferably comprises three of the above
recirculated to the phase separation vessel and pure for mentioned unbranched or branched, acyclic or cyclic, ali
mic acid and phatic radicals and particular preference is given to all three
a stream comprising the tertiary amine is conveyed from the radicals being identical. Preferred phosphines are P(n
phase separation vessel into the extraction apparatus as 20 CnHan)3 where n is from 1 to 10, particularly preferably
selective solvent for the catalyst. tri-n-butylphosphine, tri-n-octylphosphine and 1,2-bis(dicy
clohexylphosphino)ethane.
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES As mentioned above, individual carbon atoms can also be
substituted by >Pi in the abovementioned unbranched or
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a preferred embodi 25 branched, acyclic or cyclic, aliphatic radicals. Polydentate,
ment of the process of the invention. for example bidentate or tridentate, phosphine ligands are
FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a further preferred thus also comprised. These preferably comprise the group or
embodiment of the process of the invention.
>P%H2CH2iP< or
FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an additional preferred
embodiment of the process of the invention. 30
TABLE 1.2
Example A—5 Example A—6 Example A—7 Example A—8
Tertiary amine 75 g oftripentylamine 75 g oftripentylamine 75 g oftripentylamine 75 g tripentylamine
Polar solvent (used) 21.8 g of2—propanol 17.8 g ofI—propanol 17.8 g ofI—propanol 18.8 g ofmethanol
3.3 g of water 7.3 g of water 7.3 g of water 6.3 g of water
Catalyst
Injection ofC02 20.1 g to 2.4 MPa abs 20.2 gto 2.8 MPa abs 20.0 g to 2.5 MPa abs 20.0 g to 2.3 MPa abs
Injection of H2 To 10.4 MPa abs To 8.1 MPa abs To 10.5 MPa abs To 10.3 MPa
Heating To 50° C. To 50° C. To 50° C. To 50° C.
Pressure change To 11.0 MPa abs To 8.5 MPa abs To 10.9 MPa abs. To 10.5 MPa
Reaction time 1 hour 1 hour 1 hour 1 hour
Peculiarity
Upper phase 65.7 g 60.6 g 51.4 g 60.5 g
11.5% of2—propanol 5.1% of 1—propanol 3.9% of 1—propanol 3.1% ofmethanol
1.0% ofwater 94.9% oftripentylamine 96.1% oftripentylamine 96.9% oftripentylamine
87.5 oftripentylamine
Lower phase 35.0 g 40.8 g 50.1 g 40.8 g
5.6% offormic acid 7.0% offormic acid 8.4% offormic acid 7.3% offormic acid
40.6% of2—propanol 36.0% of 1-propanol 31.5% of 1-propanol 41.5% ofmethanol
7.5% ofwater 17.9% ofwater 14.6% ofwater 15.4% ofwater
46.3% oftripentylamine 39.1% oftripentylamine 45.5% oftripentylamine 35.8% oftripentylamine
kRu (cRu in upper phase/ 1.4 2.2 2.5 4.8
cRu in lower phase)
TOF 195 11*1 290 11*1
Reaction rate 0.43 mol kg’l h’1 0.64 mol kg’l h’l
TABLE 1.3
Example A—9 Example A—1 0 Example A— 1 1 Example A— 1 2
TABLE 1.3-continued
Example A—9 Example A—1 0 Example A— 11 Example A— 1 2
TABLE 1.4
Example A—13 Example A—14 Example A—15 Example A—16
Tertiary amine 75 g of trihexylamine 75 g of trihexylamine 75 g of trihexylamine 75 g of trihexylamine
Polar solvent (used) 24.0 g ofmethanol 25.0 g ofethanol 25.0 g of 1-propanol 25.0 g of ethanol
6.7 g ofwater 6.0 g ofwater 6.0 g ofwater 8.0 g ofwater
Catalyst 0.18gof 0.16gof 0.16gof 0.16gof
[Ru(PnBu3)4(H)2] [Ru(PnOct3)4(H)2], [Ru(PnOct3)4(H)2], [Ru(PnOct3)4(H)2],
0.08 g of1,2— 0.08 g of1,2— 0.08 g of1,2—
bis(dicyclohexyl— bis(dicyclohexyl— bis(dicyclohexyl—
phosphino)ethane phosphino)ethane phosphino)ethane
Injection ofCO2 20.2 g to 3.5 MPa abs 19.9 g to 2.5 MPa abs 19.9 g to 2.5 MPa abs 19.5 g to 2.6 MPa abs
Injection ofH2 To 11.5 MPa abs To 11.5 MPa abs To 10.5 MPa abs To 10.7 MPa abs
Heating To 50° C. To 50° C. To 50° C. To 50° C.
Pressure change To 11.0 MPa abs To 10.5 MPa abs To 11.3 MPa abs To 11.6 MPa abs
Reaction time 1 hour 1 hour 1 hour 2 hours
Peculiarity i i
TABLE 1.6
Example B—l Example B—2 Example B—3
Tertiary amine 37.5 g of trihexylamine 37.5 g of tripentylamine 37.5 g of trihexylamine
Polar solvent (used) 12.0 g ofmethanol 10.0 g ofmethanol 10.0 g ofmethanol
0.5 g ofwater 2.5 g ofwater 2.5 g ofwater
Catalyst 0.16 g of[Ru(PnOctyl3)4(H)2] 0.1 g of [Ru(PnButyl3)4(H)2] 0.1 g of[Ru(PnButyl3)4(H)2]
Injection ofC02 To 1.7 MPa abs To 2.3 MPa abs To 2.5 MPa abs
Injection of H2 To 8.0 MPa abs To 8.0 MPa abs To 8.0 MPa abs
Heating 50° C. 50° C. 50° C.
Reaction time 1.5 hours 1 hour 1 hour
Upper phase 23.3 g 31.1 g 22.9 g
Lower phase 26.2 g 17.4 g 27.5 g
6.1% of formic acid 5.6% offormic acid 7.2% of formic acid
cRu in upper phase after 350 ppm 320 ppm 250 ppm
reaction
cRu in lower phase after 33 ppm 80 ppm 170 ppm
reaction
cRu in lower phase after 21 ppm 50 ppm 75 ppm
extraction
25