Long-Chain Terminal Alcohols through Catalytic CO Hydrogenation

We show that long-chain 1-alcohols can be produced with high selectivities using heterogeneous CO hydrogenation catalysis. This breakthrough is achieved through the targeted design of "CoCuMn" nanosized core-shell particles using co-precipitation of metal salts into oxalate precursors and subsequent thermal decomposition. Using stoichiometric CO/H2 feeds, the selectivities to 1-alcohols or combined 1-alcohols/1-alkenes are usually higher than 60% and occasionally up to 95%. The Anderson-Schulz-Flory chain-lengthening probabilities for these products are higher than 0.6, but usually below 0.9 so as to optimize the C8-C14 slate as feedstock for plasticizers, lubricants, or detergents.