Fischer-Tropsch Syntheses; Synthol Process; Oxo Synthesis

F. Fischer, H. Tropsch, Ber. 56, 2428 (1923).

Synthesis of hydrocarbons, aliphatic alcohols, aldehydes, and ketones by the catalytic hydrogenation of carbon monoxide using enriched synthesis gas from passage of steam over heated coke. The ratio of products varies with conditions. The high pressure Synthol process gives mainly oxygenated products and addition of olefins in the presence of cobalt catalyst, Oxo synthesis, produces aldehydes. Normal pressure synthesis leads mainly to petroleum-like hydrocarbons.

C. Masters, Adv. Organomet. Chem. 17, 61 (1979); C. K. Rofer-DePoorter, Chem. Rev. 31, 447 (1981); W. A. Herrmann, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 21, 117 (1982). Reviews: P. M. Maitlis et al., Chem. Commun. 1996, 1-8; H. Schulz, Appl. Catal. 186, 3-12 (1999). Cf. Bergius Process; Oxo Process.