Reactions involving methanol.

摘要

A process for the hydrogenation of an aldehyde or a ketone comprises reacting the aldehyde or ketone with methanol in the presence of a platinum group metal catalyst. During the reaction methanol acts as a hydrogen donor and produces for example methyl formate as a coproduct along with the alcohol corresponding to the aldehyde or the ketone. The process can be operated either in the liquid phase using preferably a soluble catalyst or in the vapour phase using a supported platinum metal catalyst.