COMPOSITE OXIDE-BASED CATALYST AND PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOL USING SAME

PURPOSE:To reduce carboxylic acids or carboxylic acid esters to corresponding alcohols in high yield in the presence of alcohols by setting an atomic mole ratio as a composite oxide catalyst to be within a prescribed range based on the ratio of zirconium to tin. CONSTITUTION:A composite oxide catalyst is so composed as to have 1:1.5 atomic mole ratio based on zirconium:tin=1:0.8. To reduce carboxylic acids or their esters to alcohols using the composite oxide catalyst, for example, a reaction tube is packed with a composite oxide, heated to the reducing temperature, and a mixed liquid of a carboxylic acid or a carboxylic acid ester as a starting material with an alcohol as a reducing agent is continuously introduced into the catalyst layer using an inert carrier gas. The outlet of the reaction tube is cooled using a proper refrigerant and effluents such as the product, unreacted substances, etc., are condensed. Separation of the product is easily carried out by fractional distillation of the effluent as such.