Supported molybdenum catalysts for alcohol synthesis from CO-H2

Mo catalysts supported on MgO, SiO₂, Al₂O₃ and TiO₂ were found to produce light alcohols from synthesis gas. Over the SiOO₂-supported catalyst, the activity and selectivity for alcohol formation were greatly improved by addition of alkali metal salts. The alcohol formation activity, however, gradually decreased with processing time over Mo-K2_CO₃/SiO₂ catalyst. On the other hand, addition of alkali metal halides to Mo/SiO₂ caused increases in the activity and selectivity for alcohols with processing time. Mo-KCl/SiO₂ catalyst had the highest activity for alcohol synthesis among all the catalysts studied. The alcohol formation activities of Cr- and W-KCl/SiO₂ catalysts have been studied. Over the Cr-based catalyst methanol was the main component of alcohols, while the W-based catalyst gave a high C2+/C1 alcohol ratio.