Process for producing two-carbon atom compounds from synthesis gas with minimal production of methanol

Claim 1

In a process for the reaction of a synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, the improvement for selectively producing two-carbon atom oxygenated hydrocarbon products while minimizing the production of methanol which comprises continuously contacting said synthesis gas with a heterogeneous catalyst comprising rhodium in combination with at least one element selected from the group consisting of thorium and uranium, the mole ratio of uranium and/or thorium to rhodium being at least 1:1000, at reaction conditions such that product efficiencies based on carbon consumption in excess of 10 percent are achieved and ethanol, acetic acid and acetaldehyde are formed in an amount which is at least about 50 weight percent of the two or more carbon atom compounds obtained by the reaction, and the conversion of CO is limited to no more than about one-fourth, whereby the production of methanol is reduced such that the carbon efficiency to methanol is lower than the corresponding carbon efficiency when thorium and uranium are absent from the catalyst, which reaction conditions include a temperature within the range of from about 150°-450° C., a pressure within the range of from about 15-10,000 psig, and a mole ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide within the range of from about 20:1 to 1:200.