The oil embargos of the 1970’s spurred interest in the use of syngas to produce alcohols (methanol, ethanol, butanol, etc.) for blending with gasoline. Currently, methanol is commercially produced from syngas, but higher alcohols (ethanol, butanol, etc.) are not.
Syngas is composed mainly of carbon monoxide and hydrogen and is produced by gasifying feedstocks at high temperatures under conditions where the amount of oxygen is less that what is needed for complete combustion. Syngas can be produced from many feedstocks, including natural gas, petroleum, coal, and biomass. Under today’s conditions, the least expensive feedstock is natural gas.
Higher alcohols and mixed alcohols (including methanol) have better fuel properties than pure methanol (i.e., higher octane ratings, lower volatility, less tendency to separate in the presence of water, and more compatible with engine components).
Catalysts play a pivotal role in converting syngas to alcohols.
Commercial production has been hampered by poor selectivity and low product yields of available catalysts.