formaldehyde - Sciencemadness Dot Org

FO RMA LDEH YD £ PROD U C TIO X 15
In this country, the Cities Service Oil Company has developed a commercial
process- 40 ' 43 by which substantial quantities of formaldehyde and
methanol together with smaller amounts of acetaldehyde, methyl acetone,
and other products are now produced as products of the natural gas industry.
About 1927, it was found that the corrosion of pipe lines caused
by gas containing free oxygen could be minimized by passing the gas over
a contact catalyst, a procedure which led to the formation of the chemicals
just mentioned 41 . Typical liquid products were found to contain 34-36
per cent methanol, 20-23 per cent formaldehyde and 5-6 per cent acetaldehyde,
together with varying amounts of higher alcohols, ketones, aldehydes
and water. According to patent specifications, mixed catalysts