A novel Cu–Mn/Ca–Zr catalyst for the synthesis of methyl formate from syngas

Abstract

A novel catalyst comprised of Cu–Mn mixed oxides and CaO–ZrO₂ solid base has contributed to a high-performance methyl formate (MF) synthesis from syngas in a slurry reactor. Cu–Mn mixed oxides and mesoporous CaO–ZrO₂ solid base were prepared by complexing method and alcohothermal route, respectively, and they were characterized by N₂ isotherm adsorption–desorption, XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS and CO₂-TPD techniques. Under the optimum reaction conditions of 160 °C, 3 MPa, 3 : 7 for the ratio of methanol to N,N-dimethylformamide, 40 g L⁻¹ Cu–Mn sample, and 30 g L⁻¹ CaO–ZrO₂ sample, a low CO conversion of 22.4% was obtained over Cu–Mn/Ca–Zr, whereas the MF selectivity of 82.3% was higher than that of the traditional catalyst (e.g. Cu-catalyst and NaOCH₃), which was due to the synergism between Cu–Mn and CaO–ZrO₂ samples.