Preparation of methyl formate

US5194675A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Klaus Joerg · Schifferstadt, DE
• Franz Mueller · Fort Wayne, US
• Matthias Irgang · Heidelberg, DE
• Laszlo Marosi · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Gerhard Borchert · Ludwigshafen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 9, 1992
• Grant date: Mar 16, 1993
• Expiry date: Jan 9, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C67/40
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Methyl formate is prepared by converting methanol over a copper-containing catalyst at elevated temperatures and in the gas phase by a process in which the catalyst used contains from 30 to 80% by weight of copper, calculated as CuO, as well as from 20 to 70% by weight of a magnesium silicate, calculated as MgO plus SiO.sub.2, which has a molar ratio of MgO/SiO.sub.2 of from 0.3 to 1.5, and may additionally be doped with the metals zinc, chromium and/or barium, each in an amount of not more than 1.5% by weight, calculated as ZnO, Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 and BaO.