Direct Synthesis of Ethanol from Dimethyl Ether and Syngas over Combined H‐Mordenite and Cu/ZnO Catalysts

• DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201000109
• Publication Date: 2010-08-16T21:29:58Z
• Authors: Xingang Li; Xiaoguang San; Yi Zhang; Takashi Ichii; Ming Meng; Yisheng Tan; Noritatsu Tsubaki
• Keywords: Dimethyl ether; Mordenite

Abstract Ethanol was directly synthesized from dimethyl ether (DME) and syngas with the combined H‐Mordenite Cu/ZnO catalysts that were separately loaded in a dual‐catalyst bed reactor. Methyl acetate (MA) formed by DME carbonylation over catalyst. Thereafter, ethanol methanol produced MA hydrogenation With reactant gas containing 1.0 % DME, optimized temperature for reaction at 493 K to reach 100 conversion. In products, yield of could 46.3 42.2 %, respectively, small amount MA, ethyl acetate, CO 2 . This process is environmentally friendly as main byproduct can be recycled dehydration reaction. contrast, physically mixed catalysts, low conversion high selectivity observed.