Chemie Ingenieur Technik, Vol.85, No.4, 535-539, 2013
Process Intensification in the Gas Phase Conversion of Dimethyl Maleate to Tetrahydrofuran
Process Intensification in the Gas Phase Conversion of Dimethyl Maleate to Tetrahydrofuran Application of a bifunctional Cu/ZnO/gamma-Al2O3 catalyst enables the conversion of dimethyl maleate (DMM) to tetrahydrofuran (THF), which usually is carried out as multi-stage process, in a single fixed-bed reactor at 100% THF yield. The space-time yield of THF is almost unaffected by the H-2/DMM feed ratio but can be enhanced considerably by raising the total pressure and, in particular, the reaction temperature.