| abstract |
The specification discloses a process for the production of ethyl alcohol (ethanol), the process comprising first and second reaction steps operated in tandem. In the first reaction step, ethyl chloride, hydrogen chloride, perchloroethylene and oxygen are reacted in the presence of a catalyst, using ethane as a diluent, to yield reaction products comprising ethyl alcohol and hexachloroethane. Substantially all of the oxygen and hydrogen chloride reactants of this first reaction step are consumed. The ethyl alcohol is isolated from these reaction products. In the second reaction step, the hexachloroethane from the first reaction step is reacted with ethane to produce the ethyl chloride, hydrogen chloride, and perchloroethylene used as reactants in the first reaction step. These reaction products are supplied to the first reaction step, along with any unreacted ethane. |