autothermal partial oxidation of butanol isomers

for each isomer, conversion to equilibrium syngas products is essentially complete at c/o = 0.8. as c/o ratio increases, the major product from the primary and secondary butanols switches to the corresponding carbonyl, producing butyraldehyde, isobutyraldehyde, and butanone from 1-butanol, isobutanol and 2-butanol, respectively. selectivity to the carbonyls approached 30–50% as c/o approached 2.0. dehydration to the corresponding butenes is relatively minor in comparison, representing less than 20% selectivity at c/o = 2.0. tert-butanol reacted differently, selecting mainly for the dehydration product isobutene. acetone was the main carbonyl product from tert-butanol, but selectivity to acetone was always ≤10%. global mechanisms in an autothermal reactor, based on pyrolysis, combustion and surface science literature, are proposed for each alcohol. surface chemistry likely accounts for much of the syngas formation and heat generation, while the carbonyls and alkenes may be formed primarily through homogeneous routes.