Mechanistic Aspects of the Formation of Hydrocarbons and Alcohols from CO Hydrogenation

In 1973 the oil crisis prompted considerable world interest in the production of synfuels which, as a result, led to the development of the Mobil Methanol to Gasoline Process [1] and more recently to the Shell Middle Distillate Process [2]. Synfuels have been a subject of both scientific and political interest for most of the 20th century. With the recent Gulf crisis, which has resulted in a surge in crude oil prices, it is clear that the search to find economic alternatives to the use of petroleum as an energy source will continue. This observation is based on the fact that the world reserves of coal and natural gas far exceed those of oil, and this fact alone implies that the conversion of coal and natural gas to transportation fuels is almost certain to become more widespread within the next 20 years.