ALFOL process

The Alfol process (Figure 7-7) for producing linear primary alcohols is a four-step process. In the first step, triethylaluminum is produced by the reaction of ethylene with hydrogen and aluminum metal ... 

Figure 7-7. The Alfol process for making even-numbered straight-chain aipha aicohois.

Higher molecular primary unbranched or low-branched alcohols are used not only for the synthesis of nonionic but also of anionic surfactants, like fatty alcohol sulfates or ether sulfates. These alcohols are produced by catalytic high-pressure hydrogenation of the methyl esters of fatty acids, obtained by a transesterification reaction of fats or fatty oils with methanol or by different procedures, like hydroformylation or the Alfol process, starting from petroleum chemical raw materials. 

Aluminum Organic Synthesis of Alcohols (Ziegler-Alfol Process)... 

Linear, even-numbered, primary alcohols—like the natural fatty alcohols—are produced by the aluminum organic alcohol synthesis after Ziegler, the so-called Alfol process. This alcohol synthesis proceeds in three steps ... 

For this alcohol synthesis stoichiometric amounts of aluminum alkyls are required. Beside the wanted fatty alcohols high-purity aluminum oxide is formed. This aluminum oxide is of high value, e.g., for the production of catalysts and improves the economy of the Alfol process. 

A further narrowing of the molecular weight distribution in the fatty alcohol mixture of the Alfol process was realized in the so-called Epal process of the Ethyl Corporation [38a,44]. In this process the reaction product of the growth reaction is in a first step transalkylated by a C4-C10 olefin mixture ... 

The olefins and aluminum alkyls are separated by distillation. The aluminum trialkyl obtained in the second transalkylation step contains predominantly C12-C18 alkyl groups and is subsequently treated in the same way as in the Alfol process. Table 10 shows the different alcohol mixtures of the Alfol and Epal process. A disadvantage of the Epal alcohols is their higher degree of branch-... 

Higher alcohols are produced from three routes that involve H2. These three routes differ in feed stocks and the nature of the process, so alcohols can be produced for specific process needs. The three routes are hydrogenation of fatty acids or esters, hydroformylation, and the Alfol process [108,109]. 

Higher alcohols also can be formed from ethylene to form a primary alcohol with an even number of carbon atoms. This is called the Alfol process. The first two steps involve the catalyst regeneration. First aluminum powder and triethyl aluminum are hydrogenated to form diethyl aluminum hydride at 110— 140°C and 50—200 bar. H2 is used in this step ... 

The CONDEA group operates two different types of processes for the manufacture of alkoxide derived alumians and related products, the Ziegler-ALFOL process and CONDEA s On-Purpose Process. The Ziegler process is a co-production process of linear fatty alcohols and alumina, using aluminum organic compounds as intermediates, CONDEA s own On-Purpose technology is based on the formation of aluminum alkoxide from aluminum metal and alcohol. In both processes the formation of alumina is achieved by hydrolysis of aluminum alcoholates with water. 

Ziegler-technology based on organic aluminium compounds in a hydrocarbon solvent (K. Ziegler, 1953 Alfol-Process, Conoco Epal-process, Ethyl Corp) ... 

Ziegler Alcohol Processes. Two processes for the production of synthetic fatty alcohols are based on the work of Ziegler on organic aluminum compounds the Alfol process, developed by Conoco and Ethyl Corporation s Epal process. Fatty alcohols synthesized by these processes are structurally similar to natural fatty alcohols and are thus ideal substitutes for natural products. 

In the Alfol process, the mixture of aluminium alkyls is converted into linear primary alcohols by controlled oxidation followed by hydrolysis. The main use of C -Cjo alcohols is to make plasticizers such as dialkylphthalates. alcohols... 

Besides their application at the industrial level (e.g. in the Alfol process or in Ziegler—Natta polymerization catalysts), organoaluminums are the basis of various useful organic reactions. In fact, hydroalumination of acetylenes (a Cp2ZrCl2 catalyzed process when Me3Al is the metallation reagent) is particularly useful for the stereospecific synthesis of prostaglandin precursors. 

Fig. 22,22, Alpha alcohols by Alfol process. (Reproduced from Hydrocarbon Processing, SO. no. 11. 126.

---