Process and catalyst for preparing alcohols

1. A process for preparing alcohols comprising reacting carboxylic acids and/or carboxylic esters with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst;

wherein the catalyst is in a non-reduced state and comprises 20 to 80% by weight of CuO, 10 to 80% by weight of ZnO and 1 to 50% by weight of Al 2 O 3 , and has a pore size distribution in which 5 to 15% of the total pore volume is in the pore diameter range of less than 150 Å and 80 to 95% of the total pore volume is in the pore diameter range of greater than 250 Å.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst which is prepared by precipitating compounds of zinc and copper onto aluminum oxide powder.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction is carried out at a temperature of 100 to 350° C.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction is carried out at a pressure of 50 to 400 bar.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction is carried out in a suspension reactor.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is present as a powder having a particle size ranging from 20 to 100 μm.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction is carded out in a fixed bed reactor.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein a carboxylic acid is used and the reaction of the carboxylic acid with hydrogen is carried out in an alcohol.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein a carboxylic ester mixture made from adipic acid and hexanediol is used.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is prepared using aluminum oxide powder having a particle size ranging from 1 to 100 μm.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is prepared using aluminum oxide powder having a specific surface area ranging from 100 to 400 m 2 /g.

12. A catalyst for the preparation of alcohols, wherein said alcohols are prepared by reacting carboxylic acids and/or carboxylic esters with hydrogen and wherein the catalyst is in a non-reduced state and comprises 20 to 80% by weight of CuO, 10 to 80% by weight of ZnO and 1 to 50% by weight of Al 2 O 3 , and has a pore size distribution in which 5 to 15% of the total pore volume is in the pore diameter range of less than 150 Å and 80 to 95% is in the pore diameter range of greater than 250 Å.

13. The catalyst according to claim 12 , which is prepared by precipitating compounds of zinc and copper onto aluminum oxide powder.

14. The catalyst according to claim 12 , wherein the catalyst has a total pore volume of 100 to 350 mm 3 /g.

15. The catalyst according to claim 12 , which has a BET surface area of 5 to 150 m 2 /g.

16. The catalyst according to claim 12 , wherein the catalyst is in the form of a tablet.

17. The catalyst according to claim 12 , which is prepared by precipitating copper and zinc from their salts onto aluminum oxide powder, filtering and washing the product, then drying the product at a temperature ranging from 70 to 150° C., calcining the product at a temperature ranging from 300° C. to 600° C. and then tableting the product and optionally further calcining the tablets obtained at a temperature ranging from 400° C. to 900° C.

18. The catalyst according to claim 12 , wherein the catalyst is prepared by precipitating copper and zinc from their salts onto aluminum oxide powder, filtering and washing the product, drying the product at a temperature ranging from 70° C. to 150° C., tableting the product and subjecting the product to calcining at a temperature ranging from 300° C. to 900° C.