METHOD FOR PRODUCING ALCOHOLS

摘要

The invention relates to a method for producing alcohols by hydrating a mixture which comprises (a) 0.1 to 99.3 % by weight of one or more alkyl esters of carboxylic acids, (b) 0 or 0.1 to 95 % by weight of one or more carboxylic acids, (c) 0 or 0.1 to 90 % by weight of one or more C_1-3 alkanols and (d) 0.5 to 25 % by weight of water, the weight percentages of components (a) to (d) relating to the respective sum of components (a) to (d), in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst which is present in the form of pellets, with the proviso that the sum of components (a) to (d) adds up to 100 % by weight, and the amount of water (d), based on the amount of carboxylic acid ester (a), is at least 0.5 % by weight, and the additional proviso that, if both components (b) and (c) are present in an amount of 0 % by weight each, the amount of water (d) is at least 2.1 % by weight and the lower and upper limits of the amount of carboxylic acid esters (a) are identical and are only determined by the condition that the sum of components (a) to (d) adds up to 100 % by weight. The inventive method is characterized in that alcohols can be obtained by hydration in good yields and with considerably less byproducts produced, especially substantially less hydrocarbons, isoalcohols, secondary alcohols and ethers.