摘要 |
An improved method of producing methyl alcohol (methanol) from methane is provided using two reaction steps operated in tandem. In the first reaction step two chemical reactions occur simultaneously: a) perchloroethylene (CCl2CCl2) is oxychlorinated with hydrogen chloride and oxygen to obtain hexachlorethane (CCL3CCL3) and water, and b) methyl chloride (CH3Cl) is hydrolyzed with water to give methyl alcohol and hydrogen chloride. In the second reaction step methane is chlorinated with hexachlorethane to produce methyl chloride, hydrogen chloride and perchloroethylene. By recycling the methyl chloride, hydrogen chloride, and regenerated perchloroethylene produced in the second step to the first step the process can be operated in a balanced mode whereby the internal consumption of hydrogen chloride is equal to its formation.
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