ABSTRACT
The commercial synthesis of methanol has been widely practiced since the 1920s, when BASF announced a catalytic synthesis process that later has been called “highpressure synthesis of methanol.” Methanol has long been used as a building-block chemical, solvent, processing uid, combustion fuel, and more. Over the decades, scientists and engineers have tried to develop better catalysts and more cost-effective processes that would enable the synthesis reaction to be carried out at less severe conditions with higher efciencies. Efforts have also been made to diversify the raw material sources including conventional natural gas, shale gas, coal, biomass,
10.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 331 10.2 Chemistry of Methanol Synthesis ................................................................ 333
10.2.1 Conversion of Syngas to Methanol ................................................... 333 10.2.1.1 CO Hydrogenation as Principal Reaction for Synthesis
of Methanol ........................................................................ 334 10.2.1.2 CO2 Hydrogenation as Principal Reaction for Methanol
Synthesis ............................................................................ 335 10.2.1.3 Chemical Reactions under Extreme Syngas Conditions.... 336
10.2.2 Active Form of Methanol Synthesis Catalyst ...................................340 10.2.3 Chemical Equilibrium ...................................................................... 341 10.2.4 Properties of Methanol ..................................................................... 343 10.2.5 Reaction with Methanol ....................................................................344
