Claims
- 1. In a process for producing ethylene glycol and/or a glycolic acid ester which comprises hydrogenating an oxalate diester in the vapor phase at an elevated temperature in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, the improvement wherein the catalyst is a catalyst composition composed of a reduction product of copper-containing silica gel formed by contacting an ammine complex of copper with colloidal silica sol.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the oxalate diester is at least one di(C.sub.1 -C.sub.8)alkyl ester of oxalic acid.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein the elevated temperature is about 140.degree. to about 300.degree. C.
- 4. The process of claim 1 wherein the mole ratio of hydrogen to the oxalate diester is about 4 or more.
- 5. The process of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of SiO.sub.2 to Cu is from 1:about 0.001 to 1:about 2.
- 6. The process of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of SiO.sub.2 to Cu is from about 1:about 0.01 to 1:about 1.
- 7. The process of claim 6 wherein the oxalate diester is at least one di(C.sub.1 -C.sub.8)alkyl ester of oxalic acid and wherein the hydrogenation reaction is carried out at an elevated temperature of from about 140.degree. to 300.degree. C. and a pressure of from about 0.1 to 200 atmospheres, and wherein the mole ratio of hydrogen to the oxalate diester is about 4 or more.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
56-64015 |
Apr 1981 |
JPX |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 370,555, filed Apr. 21, 1982, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,873 issued Apr. 3, 1984.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
575380 |
Feb 1946 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Encyclopaedia Chimica, vol. 6, pp. 310-311. |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
370555 |
Apr 1982 |
|