Synthesis gas chemistry

Opportunities for alternative raw materials applying homogeneous transition metal catalysis can be seen in synthesis gas chemistry, alkane chemistry, and CO2 chemistry. 

Synthesis gas can be derived from many different sources such as crude oil, coal, biomass, oil shale, tar sand. With the recent global decline in crude oil prices, the attractiveness of syngas as an alternate feedstock has ebbed bringing many efforts and considerations in this field back to the research stage. But there is general consent that coal gasification will 

The use of homogeneous transition metal catalysis in syngas chemistry can be seen for various reasons  

In the direct conversion homogeneous catalysts could be applied to provide oxygenates. Potential applications exist for alcohols, acids and esters. Alcohol synthesis is a favorable way to upgrade synthesis gas because of its positive thermodynamics. A number of homogeneous catalysts are known to convert CO/H2 to alcohols. Most remarkable is the high-pressure homogeneous reduction of CO in the work by Union Carbide aimed at an industrial synthesis of ethylene glycol [8]. 

Two processes of direct methanol carbonylation are well established already The direct carbonylation of methanol yielding acetic acid, the Monsanto process and carbonylation of methyl acetate giving acetic anhydride, a technology commercialized by Tennessee Eastman Kodak. By adjusting the CO H2 ratio, catalytic systems for the reductive carbonylation of methyl acetate can be tuned to the production of acetic anhydride, ethylidene diacetate or acetaldehyde. 

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Information given by F. A. Kirk, Synetix, Billingham UK, on the occasion of the DGMK-Conference Synthesis Gas Chemistry , Sep. 27-29,2000 at Dresden (Germany), Proceedings, p. 131. 

Heterogcnized complexes have been used to catalyze a great number of reactions, such as hydrogenation [18], hydroformylation [19], ethylene oligomerization [20], hydrosilylation [21, 22], polymerization [23], telo-merization [24], oxidation [25], oligomerization of monoalkenc [26], methanol carbonylation [27], butadiene oligomerization [28], synthesis gas chemistry [29], and isomerization [30],... 

Staege, Hermann, "The Production Of Intermediate And Final Products In Synthesis Gas Chemistry According To The Koppers-Totzek Process, Using Coal Gas", Chemical Age of India, Volume 29, No. 12-A, December 1978. 

Figures 2, 3 and 4 offer an illustration of typical petrochemical complexes associated with industrial units based in the first case on synthesis gas chemistry, intended in the second to manufacture chiefly olefins and diolefms, and in the third to produce aromatic hydrocarbons.

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