Production of high alcohols by improved oxo process

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF MAKING ALCOHOLS WHICH COMPRISES REACTING AN OLEFIN HAVING IN THE RANGE OF 3 TO 15 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE WITH A CARBON MONOXIDE-HYDROGEN GAS HAVING A MOL RATIO OF ABOUT 1:1 IN THE PRESENCE OF AN OIL-SOLUBLE COBALT SALT DISSOLVED IN A HYDROCARBON SOLVENT IN A REACTION ZONE UNDER PRESSURE OF ABOUT 2500 TO 4000 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 250* TO 400* F., COOLING THE EFFLUENT STREAM FROM SAID REACTION ZONE AND SEPARATING GAS FROM THE COOLED STREAM, RECYCLING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID COOLED STREAM AT SPACED POINTS ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF THE REACTION ZONE AND RECYCLING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID SEPARATED GAS TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID REACTION ZONE FOR REMOVING EXOTHERMIC HEAT OF REACTION THEREIN, WASHING COLBALT FORM THE REMAINING LIQUID STREAM WITH SULFURIC ACID TO FORM A COLBALT SULFATE EXTRACT, SEPARATING SAID EXTRACT FROM SAID PRODUCT STREAM, REACTING SAID EXTRACT WITH AN ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE SOLUTION AND AN OIL-SOLUBLE ACID IN THE PRESENCE OF A LIQUID HYDROCARBON WHEREBY AN OIL-SOLUBLE COBALT SALT IS REFORMED AND DISSOLVED IN SAID HYDROCARBON AS A CATALYST SOLUTION AND ALKALI METAL SULFATE IS FORMED, SEPARATING SAID ALKALI METAL SULFATE AND ANY UNREACTED ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE FROM THE CATALYST SOLUTION, RETURNING SAID CATALYST SOLUTION TO SAID REACTION ZONE, AND HYDROGENATING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE ACID-WASHED STREAM TO CONVERT ALDEHYDES CONTAINED THEREIN TO ALCOHOLS.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF MAKING ALCOHOLS WHICH COMPRISES REACTING AN OLEFIN HAVING IN THE RANGE OF 3 TO 15 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE WITH A CARBON MONOXIDE-HYDROGEN GAS HAVING A MOL RATIO OF ABOUT 1:1 IN THE PRESENCE OF AN OIL-SOLUBLE COBALT SALT DISSOLVED IN A HYDROCARBON SOLVENT IN A REACTION ZONE UNDER PRESSURE OF ABOUT 2500 TO 4000 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 250* TO 400* F., COOLING THE EFFLUENT STREAM FROM SAID REACTION ZONE AND SEPARATING GAS FROM THE COOLED STREAM, RECYCLING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID COOLED STREAM AT SPACED POINTS ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF THE REACTION ZONE AND RECYCLING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID SEPARATED GAS TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID REACTION ZONE FOR REMOVING EXOTHERMIC HEAT OF REACTION THEREIN, WASHING COLBALT FORM THE REMAINING LIQUID STREAM WITH SULFURIC ACID TO FORM A COLBALT SULFATE EXTRACT, SEPARATING SAID EXTRACT FROM SAID PRODUCT STREAM, REACTING SAID EXTRACT WITH AN ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE SOLUTION AND AN OIL-SOLUBLE ACID IN THE PRESENCE OF A LIQUID HYDROCARBON WHEREBY AN OIL-SOLUBLE COBALT SALT IS REFORMED AND DISSOLVED IN SAID HYDROCARBON AS A CATALYST SOLUTION AND ALKALI METAL SULFATE IS FORMED, SEPARATING SAID ALKALI METAL SULFATE AND ANY UNREACTED ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE FROM THE CATALYST SOLUTION, RETURNING SAID CATALYST SOLUTION TO SAID REACTION ZONE, AND HYDROGENATING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE ACID-WASHED STREAM TO CONVERT ALDEHYDES CONTAINED THEREIN TO ALCOHOLS.