Design of a Catalyst Alcohol Route

The goal is the selection of catalysts for reactions involving the formation of higher alcohols, following the alcohol chemistry route. This study aims to apply the theory and thus provide the selection of catalysts for the process. 

This is a well-known industrial process, with suitable catalysts for each process. The catalysts for the production of crotonaldehyde and 2-ethylhexanol are different. Besides the alcohol route, the petrochemical route is used industrially. For both routes, there are four basic reactions  

In addition, there are several secondary reactions. The reactions of aldolization and hydroformylation are reactions in homogeneous phase. 

Initially, one must predict all thermodynamically possible reactions, besides the desired reactions and if possible the superficial mechanisms. By alcohol route, we have 

The dehydration reaction is endothermic and occurs preferably between 300 °C and 360 °C and is favored with increasing temperature and decreasing pressure. 

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