Raney copper

Abstract

Raney copper which is doped with at least one metal from the group comprising iron and/or noble metals is used as a catalyst in the dehydrogenation of alcohols.

1 .- 3 . (Cancelled).  
     
     
         4 . A process for the catalytic dehydrogenation of alcohols, wherein a Raney Copper is used as catalyst, said catalyst being a Raney Copper catalyst with an average particle size of from 5 μm to 65 μm, which is doped with at least one doping metal selected from the group consisting of iron and noble metals.  
     
     
         5 .- 29 . (Cancelled).  
     
     
         30 . A process for the catalytic dehydrogenation of an alcohol comprising: 
 forming a mixture of an alcohol, an aqueous basic solution and an activated Raney Copper catalyst which has an average particle size of from 5 μm to 65 μm, and is doped with at least one doping metal selected from the group consisting of iron and noble metals, and reacting said mixture to form the desired product.    
     
     
         31 . The process according to  claim 30 , wherein the Raney Copper catalyst is an alloy of copper and aluminum.  
     
     
         32 . The process according to  claim 30 , wherein the alcohol is a mono or polyhydric alcohol.  
     
     
         33 . The process according to  claim 30 , wherein the alcohol and resulting carboxylate are stable in strongly basic solution.  
     
     
         34 . The process according to  claim 30 , wherein the alcohol is a glycol or aminoalcohol.  
     
     
         35 . The process according to  claim 30  wherein the metal is selected from the groups consisting of Re, Pd, Pt, Ag, Au, Rh, Ir, Ru, Fe and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         36 . A process for the catalytic dehydrogenation of an alcohol comprising reacting a mixture comprising an alcohol, a Raney-Copper catalyst with an average particle size from 5 μm to 65 μm which is doped with at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iron and/or noble metals and wherein said Raney-Copper catalyst is prepared from a copper/aluminum alloy activated with an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, followed by washing the alloy, suspending the alloy in water, adding an iron salt or noble metal salt solution to the resulting suspension, and adjusting the pH of the solution to a value of from 4 to 11.  
     
     
         37 . The process according to  claim 36 , wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Re, Pd, Pt, Ag, Au, Rh, Ir, Ru, Fe and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         38 . The process for the catalytic dehydrogenation of an alcohol, wherein a doping metal is alloyed together with copper and aluminum, and is activated by means of aqueous sodium hydroxide solution and the catalyst is washed.  
     
     
         39 . The process for the catalytic dehydrogenation of an alcohol according to  claim 4 , wherein the catalyst is a Raney-Copper catalyst wherein the initial alloy contains more than 50% Cu so that the finished catalyst contains more residual Al than normally found under the same activation conditions.  
     
     
         40 . The process for the catalytic dehydrogenation of an alcohol according to  claim 4 , wherein a catalyst is used which is a Raney-Copper catalyst wherein an initial alloy of copper and said doping metal is heat treated in air at temperatures higher than 500° C. before activation.