This invention relates to processes for producing acetic acid and, in particular, to improved processes for recovering permanganate reducing compounds formed during the carbonylation of methanol in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst to produce acetic acid. Alkyl halides are removed or reduced from the recovered permanganate reducing compounds.

The present invention relates to a catalyst. The catalyst is used for converting acetic acid to ethanol. The catalyst comprises one or more active metals on an alkali metal silicate support or on an alkaline earth metal silicate support, wherein the support further comprises a silica enhancer and a support modifier.

A catalyst composition comprising tin and optionally a second metal for use in the production of alcohols such as ethanol from carboxylic acids such as acetic acid. An acidic solution such as nitric acid is utilized in the preparation of the catalyst according to one embodiment of the present invention to better solubilize an organometallic tin precursor resulting in the formation of catalysts having particularly high selectivity to ethanol.

Ethane is oxidized to ethylene and/or oxygenates that comprise acetic acid. The acetic acid may be converted to ethanol by hydrogenation. The ethylene may be converted to ethanol by hydration.

Hydrocarbons are oxidized to ethylene and/or oxygenates that comprise acetic acid. The acetic acid may be converted to ethanol by hydrogenation. The ethylene may be converted to ethanol by hydration.

The present invention relates to a process for hydrogenating feedstock comprising acetic acid in the presence of hydrogen to product comprising ethanol in a reaction zone under hydrogenation conditions over a catalyst composition promoted with cobalt, rhodium, cesium or a combination thereof on a previously calcined composition comprising at least one Group VIII metal and tin on a support material.

Acetic acid is hydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst comprising one or more active metals on a silica support, wherein the catalyst has a radial crush strength of at least 4 N/mm. The one or more active metals may include cobalt, copper, gold, iron, nickel, palladium, platinum, iridium, osmium, rhenium, rhodium, ruthenium, tin, zinc, lanthanum, cerium, manganese, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum and mixtures thereof. Radial crush strength may be improved by steam treating the catalyst suppor...

The present invention relates to a catalyst composition having a support that contains tin. The catalyst is used for converting acetic acid to ethanol. The catalyst may also comprise one or more active metals and a support modifier.

The present invention relates to a process for producing product comprising ethanol which comprises contacting a feedstock comprising acetic acid and hydrogen in a reaction zone at hydrogenation conditions with a catalyst composition comprising at least one active metal that may include a Group VIII metal and tin and from 0.01 to 0.5 wt. % cesium on a support comprising tungsten or oxides thereof.

The present invention relates to a process for the production of ethanol. The process comprises the step of hydrogenating acetic acid in a hydrogenation reactor in the presence of a catalyst and under conditions effective to form a crude ethanol product. The acetic acid may be obtained from a carbonylation system. The process further comprises the step of separating, in at least one column, at least a portion of the crude ethanol product into a distillate and a residue. The distillate comprises ...