Title of Invention

PROCESS FOR OBTAINING A CATALYST AND HYDRATION OF OLEFINS

Abstract

Process for obtaining a catalyst by applying to a lattice-layer silicate comprising aluminum the following steps: impregnating with an acid; treating hydrothermally at a temperature of between 160 and 300°C and a partial water vapour pressure of between 4 and 80 barabs, washing with an acidic, a basic or a neutral solution, and optionally rinsing with water, to obtain by the daluminating process an aluminium content of less than 0.3% by weight, wherein the process comprises impregnating the daluminated aluminum with phosphoric acid.

Full Text

FORM 2 THE PATENTS ACT 1970 [39 OF 1970] 8s THE PATENTS RULES, 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION [See Section 10; rule 13] "PROCESS FOR OBTAINING A CATALYST AND HYDRATION OF OLEFINS" SASOL GERMANY GMBH, a German company, of Anckelmannsplatz 1, 20537 Hamburg, Germany, The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be perfomed: The present invention relates to a process for obtaining a catalyst and hydration of olefins Claimed is a dealuminated catalyst carrier, a process fro producing the catalyst carrier and a process for hydrating C2 or C3 olefins with water in the presence of a catalyst which comprises this catalyst carrier impregnated with acid. It is known that olefins of low molecular mass which are linear or have only few branches can be converted to alcohols by a reaction with steam in the gas phase under the application of high temperatures and pressures. Of significance for large scale is therein the synthesis of ethanol/from ethene and of isopropanol from propene. The production of these alcohols takes place in the presence of acidic catalysts, wherein usually a catalyst carrier consisting of an alumosilicate and a silicate material is used, which has been impregnated with phosphoric acid, respectively. The material of the catalyst carrier is usually build up of pure silicic acid like for example silica gel (US 2,579,601) or consists of silicic acid with a varying amount of alumina (US Patent No. 3, 311, 568) and consists of pure layer-lattice silicates (sheet- structure silicates), for example those containing montmorillonite (DE 29 08 491), respectively. Apart from these phosphoric acid-containing catalyst carriers, also zeolithic materials are used (EP 0 323 269 Bl) or other acidic catalysts like for example zir¬con phosphate (GB 00 55 34). Until now for carriers which are based on silicic acid in the form of silica gel exclusively the mechanical hardness is questionable over a longer hold up time. Aluminium containing catalyst carriers or those con¬sisting of only alumina show a noticeably higher long-term stability, but they have the immense disadvantage that aluminium is leached out from the catalyst carrier during the hydration reaction due to the effect of phosphoric acid. The aluminium ends up in the succeed¬ing apparatuses as poorly soluble sedimentations in form of aluminium phosphate. These apparatuses thereby are gradually blocked. In DE 1 156 772 a process is described for reducing the aluminium content of the lattice-layer silicate by re¬action with hydrochloric acid. However, even after in¬tensive washing with hydrochloric acid the carrier ma¬terial still shows the presence of approximately 1 to 2 % by weight of aluminium. In EP 0 578 441 Bl by using a pelletised silicate car¬rier based on aerosil (Degussa) which does not contain aluminium a certain long-term stability is achieved. Starting material for the production of aerosil is the relatively expensive silicon tetrachloride. Since mate-rials based on lattice-layer silicates, such as mont-morillonite for example, are natural raw materials which can be excavated from relevant deposits in the earth, these have an obvious advantage over pelletised silicate carriers according to the economic efficiency of the hydrating process. The present invention is based on the problem of find¬ing an economical process for the hydration of C2 and C3 olefins with water in the presence of a catalyst which comprises a catalyst carrier impregnated with acid and in which the catalyst carrier has a long term stability as high as possible and simultaneously the leaching out of aluminium during the hydration reaction is as little as possible. Surprisingly it has been found that a dealuminated catalyst carrier based on mainly aluminium-containing lattice-layer silicates with a montmorillonite struc¬ture, an aluminium content of less than 0.3% by weight have a high long-term stability, and that during the process of hydrating C2 or C3 olefins with water in the presence of a catalyst which comprises a catalyst car¬rier impregnated with acid, by carrying out the hydra¬tion reaction using a dealuminated catalyst carrier ac¬cording to at least one of the claims 1 to 22, no or only very small amounts of aluminium are washed out of the catalyst carrier. Subject of the present invention is therefore a dealu-minated catalyst carrier based on mainly aluminium-containing lattice-layer silicates with a montmorillo- nite structure with an aluminium content of less than 0.3 % by weight. Further subject of the present invention is a process for the reduction of the aluminium content of a cata¬lyst carrier which comprises mainly aluminium-containing lattice-layer silicates with a montmorillo-nite structure, wherein the catalyst carrier is impregnated with phosphoric acid treated hydrothermally at a temperature of between 160 and 300 °C and an partial water vapour pressure of 4 to 80 barabsolute washed subsequently with an acidic, basic or neutral solution at a temperature of between 20 and 100 °C, and afterwards rinsed with water until the washing water becomes neutral. Furthermore subject of the present invention is a proc¬ess for the hydration of C2 or C3 olefins with water in the presence of a catalyst that comprises a catalyst carrier impregnated with acid according to at least one of the claims 1 to 22. The terms hydration and hydration reaction refer, for the purposes of this invention, to the reaction of wa-ter with a carbon-carbon double bond. The terms dealuminating and dealuminated catalyst car¬rier, respectively refer for the purposes of this in¬vention to the process of reducing the aluminium con¬tent and a catalyst carrier with a reduced aluminium content. By carrying out the process according to the invention a catalyst carrier can be produced which is based on calcined and subsequently treated lattice-layer sili¬cates, that has a noticeably reduced aluminium content compared to a catalyst carrier which has not been treated according to this invention. In spite of the reduced aluminium content, the long-term stability of the catalyst has been maintained. By using a catalyst carrier according to this invention during the process also according to this invention for the hydration of C2 or C3 olefins with water, the amount of aluminium leaching out during the hydration reaction is noticea¬bly reduced. Thus fewer insoluble aluminium compounds. are produced during the hydration reaction, which in conventional processes lower the hold up time of the succeeding apparatuses, such as heat exchangers, by blocking the pipes or the areas of heat exchange. The dealuminized catalyst carrier according to this in¬vention with an aluminium content of less than 0.3 % by weight contains mainly aluminium-containing lattice-layer silicates. In particular preferred the dealu-minized catalyst carrier according to this invention has an aluminium content of less than 0.03 % by weight. The aluminium-containing lattice-layer silicates are preferably smectites and have preferably montmorillo-nite structures. Lattice-layer silicates which exhibit mainly aluminium-containing lattice-layer silicates with montmorillonite structures are for example the bentonites. Apart from the montmorillonites, bentonites can contain other components for example mica, illite, crystobalite and zeolite. Starting material for the production of a catalyst car¬rier according to the invention are conventional cata¬lyst carriers for examples based on calcined and subse¬quently treated lattice-layer silicates. The dealuminized catalyst carrier according to this in¬vention with an aluminium content of less than 0.3 % by weight, preferably less than 0.03 % by weight, based on mainly aluminium rich lattice-layer silicates with a montmorillonite structure can be made by impregnating the catalyst carrier with phosphoric acid preferably a 10 to 90 % by weight phosphoric acid, in particular preferred a phosphoric acid of 50 to 60 % by weight so that the catalyst carrier contains between 5 and 60 %, preferably between 30 and 40 % phosphoric acid, fol¬lowed by hydrothermal treatment at a temperature of be¬tween 160 and 300 °C, preferably at a temperature of between 220 and 260 °C and a partial water vapour pres¬sure of between 4 and 80 barabsolute preferably at a partial water vapour pressure of between 16 and 25 bar-absolute followed by washing with an acidic, basic or neutral solution, preferably an acidic or neutral solu¬tion, in particular with water, hydrochloric acid or water containing 0 to 30 parts concentrated hydrochlo¬ric acid at a temperature of between 20 and 100 °C, preferably of between 70 and 90 °C and afterwards rins¬ing the catalyst carrier until the washing water has become neutral. An example of how to carry out the process according to the invention for reducing the aluminium content of a catalyst carrier is described below, without limiting the process of the present invention to this example. For the reduction of the aluminium content of a cata¬lyst carrier which comprises mostly aluminium-containing lattice-layer silicates commercial lattice-layer silicates such as, for example, montmorillonite or bentonite containing catalyst carriers can be used. The catalyst carriers have preferably the form of spherical shapes, such as for example balls, lenses, cuboids, cylinders or also irregular forms, in particu¬lar preferred they have the shape of balls. The spheri¬cal shapes have preferably an average diameter of 1 to 10 mm, most preferred a diameter of 4 to 6 mm. For the reduction of the aluminium content in the cata¬lyst carrier it is impregnated with acid, treated hy-drothermally, subsequently washed and afterwards rinsed. The catalyst carrier is impregnated with acid, prefera¬bly phosphoric acid in order to produce the effect ac¬cording to the invention. A 10 to 90 % by weight phos¬phoric acid, preferably a 50 to 60 % by weight phospho¬ric acid is used. After being impregnated, the catalyst carrier should show an amount of phosphoric acid of 5 to 60 % by weight, preferably 30 to 40 % by weight. Af¬terwards the catalyst carrier is treated hydrother-mally. Under the hydrothermal conditions the lattice-layer silicate material, like for example montmorillonite changes into cristobalite-like structures. Accompanying the micropores, that were previously present, disap¬pear. This morphological changes in structure can clearly be seen by the BET surface, the pore volume and the distribution of pore radii. Under hydrothermal re¬action conditions the so-called "open" pore structures are attained. Hydrothermal treatment of the catalyst carrier contain¬ing lattice-layer silicates can be carried out at tem¬peratures of between 160 and 300 °C under a partial wa¬ter vapour pressure of between 4 and 80 barabsolute, preferably between 220 and 260 °C and a partial water vapour pressure of between 16 and 25 barabsolute. After hydrothermal treatment the catalyst carrier is washed with a basic, acidic or neutral solution, pref¬erably with an acidic or neutral solution and in par¬ticular preferred with hydrochloric acid, with water containing 0 to 30 parts concentrated hydrochloric acid or with a neutral aqueous solution. The washing of the catalyst carrier is carried out at a temperature of be¬tween 20 and 100 °C, preferably between 70 and 90 °C. After said washing the catalyst carrier can be rinsed with water until the washing water used to rinse be¬comes neutral. The catalyst carrier then has a cumulated pore volume of between 0.2 and 0.9 ml/g, preferably between 0.6 and 0.7 ml/g. The compressive strength of the catalyst car¬rier should be of at least 10 N/mm, preferably at least 20 N/mm. In a specific embodiment of the process according to the invention, the hydrothermal treatment of the cata¬lyst carrier impregnated with acid, which contains 5 to 60 % by weight phosphoric acid, preferably 30 to 40 % by weight takes place by use as a catalyst in a hydra¬tion reaction of C2 or C3 olefins. For impregnating the catalyst carrier preferably a 10 to 90 % by weight phosphoric acid, most preferred a 30 to 60 % by weight is used. During this hydration in a reactor filled with catalyst preferably a tubular reactor olefin and water in a mo¬lar ratio of between 0.1 and 0.8, preferably between 0.15 and 0.5 are reacted. The olefin to be used and the water to be used are introduced into the reactor gase¬ous or liquid, preferably gaseous. For evaporating the water and heating both reagents to reaction tempera¬ture, respectively it may be beneficial to introduce both reagents into the reactor over a vaporisation or thermostat-controlled section, which is heated to the reaction temperature electrically or by way of heat carriers which leads into the reactor. The gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) should be between 10 and 100 ln/min/lcat. The hydration reaction is carried out at a temperature of between 160 and 300 °C and an absolute pressure of between 20 and 200 bar. The hydration of ethene to ethanol is carried out preferably at a tem¬perature of between 220 and 260 °C and an absolute pressure between 60 and 80 bar. The exit of the reactor can preferably be connected to a cooler which condenses out the majority of the sub-critical components and makes them accessible to fur¬ther reprocessing for example distillative separation. For controlling the activity and selectivity of the catalyst carrier impregnated with acid it can be advan¬tageous to analyse the outflow of the reactor. The analysis can be carried out by gas chromatography. To increase the lifetime of the catalyst is it advanta¬geous to add the acid, with which the catalyst carrier has been impregnated, into the reactor continuously or discontinuously preferably continuously. The acid can be introduced into the reactor for example by injec¬tion. The amount of acid which is introduced into the reactor can be made dependent on the results of the analysis of the outflow. The resulting amount of acid to be introduced can be calculated from the analysis of the outlet stream. After the hydrothermal treatment of the catalyst car¬rier by being used as a catalyst in a hydration reac¬tion, the remaining acid with which the catalyst car¬rier has been impregnated is removed by washing with water until the washing water becomes neutral. After the removal of the remaining acid the catalyst carrier is washed with a basic, acidic or neutral solu¬tion, preferably with an acidic or neutral solution and in particular preferably with hydrochloric acid, with water which contains 0 to 30 parts concentrated hydro¬chloric acid or a neutral aqueous solution. The cata¬lyst carrier can be washed at a temperature between 20 and 100 °C, preferably at a temperature between 70 and 90 °C. After the washing the catalyst carrier can be rinsed with water until the washing water becomes neutral. In the case of catalyst carriers which by being used as catalysts in a hydration reaction have been hydrother-mally treated, it may be advantageous, after reducing the aluminium content in the catalyst carrier, to clean of the catalyst carrier by burning off possible carbon compounds attached at between 300 and 1,000 °C, pref¬erably between 450 and 500 °C. Both variations of the process according to this inven¬tion result in a treated catalyst carrier with a re¬duced aluminium content. The treated catalyst carriers have an average diameter of between 1 and 10 mm, pref¬erably however of between 4 and 6 mm. The total pore volume is between 0.2 and 0.9 ml/g, preferably between 0.6 and 0.7 ml/g. The compressive strength after the treatment of the catalyst carrier is at least 10 N/mm, preferably 20 N/mm. The amount of aluminium i'n the treated catalyst carriers is less than 0.3 % by weight, preferably less than 0.03 % by weight. The catalyst carriers produced by the process according to this invention with reduced aluminium content can be used for the production of catalysts. The catalyst carriers produced by the process according to this invention with a reduced aluminium content can according to the invention be used for the hydration of C2 or C3 olefins with water in the presence of a cata¬lyst, which consists mainly of a catalyst carrier treated according to the invention having been impreg¬nated with acid. Preferably the catalyst carrier is impregnated with an acid, preferably phosphoric acid. The quantity of phos¬phoric acid should be between 5 and 60 % by weight, preferably between 30 and 40% by weight to obtain the maximum catalytic activity of the impregnated catalyst carrier. For impregnating the catalyst carrier an aque¬ous phosphoric acid solution which contains a phospho¬ric acid quantity of between 10 to 90 % by weight, preferably between 50 and 60 % by weight is used. The acidic catalyst thus produced is filled in a reactor, preferably a tubular reactor. The reactor is operated isothermally or non-isothermally, preferably isother-mally and can be heated electronically or by way of heat carriers. The reactor is fed continuously or discontinuously, preferably continuously, with the reagents water and C2 or C3 olefin. The ratio of water to olefin with which the reagents are fed into the reactor is adjusted at a molar ratio of between 0.1 and 0.8, preferably between 0.15 and 0.5. The molar ratio can be adjusted by using for example a mass flowmeter. Both reagents can be in¬troduced into the reactor liquid or gaseous, preferably gaseous. For evaporating the water and heating both re¬agents to reaction temperature respectively it may be beneficial to introduce both reagents into the reactor over a vaporisation or thermostat-controlled section, which is heated to the reaction temperature electri¬cally or by way of heat carriers. The temperature in the reactor and the temperature with which the reagents flow into the reactor should be between 160 and 300 °C. For the hydration reaction of ethene to ethanol, the temperature in the reactor and the temperature with which the reagents flow into the reactor is preferably between 220 and 260 °C. The pressure in the reactor is in the range of between 20 and 200 barabsolute, prefera-bly between 60 and 80 barabsolute. The exit of the reactor is preferably connected to a cooler, which can condense out the majority of the com-ponents and make these accessible to further reprocess-ing. To control the activity and selectivity of the acid im-pregnated catalyst carrier, it can be beneficial to analyse the outflow of the reactor. This analysis can be carried out by for example gas chromatography. To increase the lifetime of the catalyst it is advanta-geous to add the acid, preferably phosphoric acid, with which the catalyst carrier has been impregnated, into the reactor continuously or discontinuously, preferably continuously. The acid can be introduced into the reac-tor for example by injection. The amount of acid which is introduced into the reactor can be made dependent on the results of the analysis of the outflow. Both the analysis of the outflow and the determination resulting amount of acid to be introduced can be carried out by automation. Figure 1 and Figure 2 show the rate of consumption of ethene and the rate of formation of ethanol in depend-ence of the reaction time by using differently treated catalyst carriers without limiting the process accord-ing to this invention to these results. Figure 1 In figure 1 the rate of consumption of ethene during a hydration reaction is shown in dependence of the reac-tion time. The data from four experiments are shown. The measurements represented by circles refer to the rate of consumption of ethene relative to reaction time when a new catalyst carrier containing the original amount of aluminium is used. The data of the rate of consumption of ethene represented by squares result from three series of experiments which were carried out using a catalyst carrier with a reduced aluminium con-tent . Figure 2 In figure 2 the rate of formation of ethanol during in a hydration reaction in dependence of the reaction time is shown. The data from four experiments are shown. The measurements represented by circles refer to the rate of formation of ethanol relative to reaction time when a new catalyst carrier containing the original amount of aluminium is used. The data of the rate of formation of ethanol represented by squares refer result from three series of experiments which were carried out us-ing a catalyst carrier with a reduced aluminium con-tent. The process according to the present invention is de-scribed by the examples below without being limited to these examples. DE 198 29 747 Example 1: The synthesis of ethanol with an untreated catalyst carrier The experiment took place in a pilot plant whose core part contains an isothermally operated tubular reactor of 1,000 mm in length and 48 mm diameter. The reagents water and ethene are introduced into the reactor over a vaporisation or thermostat-controlled section, which is electrically heated to the reaction temperature. The water is introduced liquidly through a pump, while ethene is taken from a 130 bar steel flask. The introduction of a mixture of ethene: water at a mo¬lar ratio of 0.3: 1 is controlled by a mass flowmeter. The exit of the reactor is connected to a cooler which condenses out the majority of the subcritical compo¬nents, mainly ethanol, water and diethylether, the rest is diverted to the waste gas whose volumetric flow is measured by a gas-meter. A part of the waste gas is fed through a bypass into a gas chromatograph. The liquid products are also analysed by gas chromatography. The synthesis of ethanol according to the present exam-ple was measured at a temperature of 240 °C and a pres-sure of 70 barabsolute. The standard test conditions are summarised in Table 1. The catalyst used was an un¬treated new catalyst carrier, the KA-1 of Sudchemie AG. The properties of the carrier are summarised in Table 2. Conversion and selectivity values reached at the start of the experiment are included in Table 2. To determine the aluminium content of the catalyst car¬rier this was analysed with an atomic emission spec¬trometer before the start of an experiment. The atomic emission spectrometer used was an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) JY 38+ made by ISA Jobin Y. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 2. Example 2: The synthesis of ethanol with an untreated old carrier The experiment was repeated in the same way as de¬scribed in Example 1. This time an untreated catalyst carrier that had already been used for the catalysis of a hydration reaction is employed ('old carrier'). Again the standard test conditions shown in Table 1 are rele¬vant. The results of the experiment as well as the properties of the catalyst carrier are given in Table 2. As can be seen from the values in Table 2, the specific surface of the impregnated catalyst carrier decreases after the catalyst has been used only once. Similarly the aluminium content is reduced to approximately 1/4 of its original value by the single use as catalyst. The remaining 3/4 of the original amount of aluminium in the untreated new carrier are leached out during the hydra¬tion reaction. This aluminium forms the insoluble sedi¬mentations which hinders the reprocessing steps. Example 3: The synthesis of ethanol with a treated old carrier The experiment was carried out in the same way as de¬scribed in Example 1. As catalyst carrier an already used old carrier was employed whose aluminium content had been reduced by treatment according to the process of this invention. Again the standard test conditions shown in Table 1 are relevant. The results of the ex¬periment as well as the properties of the catalyst car¬rier are also given in Table 2. The deactivation of the catalyst carrier with, as well as without, a reduced aluminium content are represented in both Figure 1 and Figure 2. As can be seen from Table 2 the aluminium content of a catalyst carrier is reduced to less than 0.03 % by weight by treating the old carrier in the process ac¬cording to this invention. This value represents the detection limit of the atomic emission spectrometer used. The compressive strength of the treated old car¬rier is 30 N/mm sufficient to guarantee good long-term stability of the catalyst carrier. In spite of treating the catalyst carrier and reducing its aluminium content to a value less than 0.03 % by weight, the conversion of ethylene and the yield of ethanol both remained good compared to an untreated, unused catalyst carrier ('new carrier') and to an un- treated old carrier, respectively, even slightly in¬creased in the present example. As can be seen from Figure 1 and Figure 2 reducing the aluminium content according to the process of the in¬vention has no influence on the rate of consumption of ethene or on the rate of formation of ethanol. - Standard experimental conditions Process Parameter Value total reaction pressure 70 bar temperature of the reactor (isotherm) 240°C GHSV 21.3 ln/min/lcat water : ethene 1.0 : 0.3 mol : mol carrier material KA-1 (Sudchemie) Table 1: The standard experimental conditions used in all experi¬ments . Property (impregnated car¬rier) New Carrier Untreated Old Carrier Treated Old Carrier force withstood 20 N/mm 40 N/mm 30 N/mm spec. surface (BET) 20 m2/g 4 m2/g 3 m2/g cumulated pore vol¬ume 0.7 ml/g 0.4 ml/g 0.4 ml/g Al content 1.3 % b.w. 0.31 % b.w. Si content 25 % b.w. 25 % b.w. 24 % b.w. H2P04 content 35 % b.w. 36 % b.w. 35 % b.w. ethene turnover at start of experiment 5 % 5 % 6 % volume-time yield (ethanol) at start of experiment 77.4 g/lcat/hr 76.4 g/lcat/hr 79.8 g/lCat/hr Table 2: A comparison of the properties of the three types of catalyst carriers used WE CLAIM; 1. Process for obtaining a catalyst by applying to a lattice-layer silicate comprising aluminum the following steps: impregnating with an acid; treating hydrothermally at a temperature of between 160 and 300°C and a partial water vapour pressure of between 4 and 80 barabs, washing with an acidic, a basic or a neutral solution, and optionally rinsing with water, to obtain by the daluminating process an aluminium content of less than 0.3% by weight, wherein the process comprises impregnating the daluminated aluminum with phosphoric acid. 2. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of hydrothermal treatment takes place completely or in part during the use of said catalyst in a hydration reaction. 3. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of washing takes place at a temperature of between 20 and 100°C. 4. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of washing takes place with water, with hydrochloric acid or with water containing 0 to 30 parts of concentrated hydrochloric acid. 5. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of rinsing takes place until the washing water becomes neutral. 6. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lattice-layer silicates are smectities and/or have montmorillonite structure. 7. Process for the hydration of olefins, preferably C2 or C3 olefins, with water in the presence of at least one catalyst impregnated with acid, wherein the catalyst has an aluminum content of less than 0.3% by weight and is obtainable from mainly layer-lattice silicates which contain aluminum by a dealuminating process, wherein the acid is phosphoric acid. 8. Process as claimed in claim 7, wherein the hydration reaction is carried out in a reactor an olefin to water molar ratio is adjusted to between 0.1 and 0.8 in the reactor, has a gas hourly space velocity of 10 to 100 In/min/lCat, said catalyst contains 5 to 60% by weight of acid, and the hydration reaction of the olefins is carried out at a temperature of between 160 and 300°C and an pressure of between 20 and 200 barabsolute. 9. Process as claimed in claim 7, wherein said acid with which the catalyst is impregnated is a 10 to 90% by weight phosphoric acid. 10. Process as claimed in claim 7, wherein said catalyst contains 5 to 60% of an acid, calculated as pure acid, preferably phosphoric acid. 11. Process as claimed in claim 7, wherein the hydration reaction is carried out at a temperature of between 220 and 260°C and a pressure of between 60 and 80 bar. 12. Process as claimed in claim 7, wherein the olefin used and the water used are introduced into the reactor in gaseous form. 13. Process as claimed in claim 7, wherein said acid is introduced into the reactor during the course of the hydration reaction and the acid used is preferably phosphoric acid. 14. Process as claimed in claim 7, wherein the olefin is ethylene and the alcohol is ethanol. 15. Process as claimed in claims 1 to 14 wherein the catalyst has an aluminum content of less than 0.03% by weight. 16. Process as claimed in any of claims 1 to 15, wherein the catalyst has at least partially a cristobalite-like structure. 17. Process as claimed in any of claims 1 to 16, wherein the catalyst/catalyst carrier has accumulative pore volume of 0,2 to 0,9 ml/g. 18. Process as claimed in any of claims 7 to 14, wherein the layer-lattice silicates used are smectites or have preferably montmorillonite structure. 19. Process as claimed in any of claims 7 to 14, wherein the catalyst has the shape of a spherical body. Dated this 3rd day of January, 2001. [RITUSHKA NEGI] OF REMFRY & SAGAR ATTORNEY FOR THE APPLICANT 19. Process as claimed in any of claims 1to 17, wherein the catalyst/catalyst carrier has accumulative pore volume of 0.2 to 0.9 ml/g. 20. Process as claimed in any of claims 9 to 16, wherein the layer-lattice silicates used are smectites or have preferably montmorillonite structure. 21. Process as claimed in any of claims 9 to 16, wherein the catalyst has the shape of a spherical body. Dated this 3rd day of January, 2001. [RITUSHKA NEGI] Of REMFRY & SAGAR ATTORNEY FOR THE APPLICANT (RITUSHKA NEGI) OF REMFRY & SAGAR ATTORNEY FOR THE APPLICANT[S]

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