CATALYST HAVING SOLID AND VAPOROUS COMPONENT FOR THE CARBONYLATION OF LOWER ALKYL ALCOHOLS

摘要

A catalyst useful for producing esters and carboxylic acids from lower alkyl alcohols, ethers, esters, and ester-alcohol mixtures in a vapor-phase carbonylation process. The catalyst includes a first component which includes platinum on a solid support material and at least one vaporous halide second component. The preferred support material for the platinum is activated carbon. A method for producing the solid first component includes the steps of solubilizing a platinum compound with a solvent, contacting the carbon support material with the solubilized platinum compound, evaporating the solvent, and heating the solid supported platinum compound in a stream of inert gas.