Process for the preparation of acetic acid.

摘要

A process for preparing acetic acid which comprises contacting methanol with carbon monoxide or a mixture of carbon monoxide with hydrogen of 2% by volume or less in the presence of a carbon-supported rhodium metal catalyst and methyl iodide promoter in vapor phase preferably in the presence of water vapour and preferably under the conditions of: a reaction temperature of 180-220 DEG C, a reaction pressure of 5-10 kg/cm<2>.G, and a weight of catalyst to feed gas flow rate ratio (W/F) of 10-20 g.h/mole. In a preliminary step the gaseous mixture may be produced from a high hydrogen-content synthesis gas by a catalytic methanation process.