CATALYTIC PRODUCTION OF PRIMARY ALCOHOL MIXTURE FROM SYNTHETIC GAS

A process for manufacturing a mixture of saturated primary alcohols by reacting carbon oxides with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst formed essentially of the following elements: copper, cobalt, zinc, at least one metal A selected from the group consisting of alkali and alkaline earth metals and optionally zirconium and/or at least one metal M selected from the group formed of scandium, yttrium and rare earth metals and/or at least one metal N selected from group VIII noble metals, the proportion by weight of each metal element being: copper: 15-55%, colbalt: 5-25%, zinc: 15-70%, metal A: 0.01-5%, zinconium: 0-55%, metal M: 0-20%, metal N: 0-1%, the total amount by weight of zinc and zirconium in percent by weight of all the metals being from 15 to 70% and the atomic ratios between these metals being: Cu/Co: 0.2:1 to 5:1 and Zn/(Zn+Zr): 0.05:1 to 1:1 and (Zn+Zr)/Co: 0.5:1 to 8:1. The catalyst may be prepared by complexing or by coprecipitating catalytic elements.