Ethylene Glycol via Oxalate Esters

Published September 1979

Patents have been published on a two-stage process for making ethylene glycol from segregated CO, H₂, and O₂ gases by synthesizing and subsequently hydrogenating a dialkyl oxalate ester intermediate. A preliminary study indicates that, because of the costs of the CO and H₂ feed streams, the process entails net raw materials costs which are substantially higher than for ethylene-based glycol processes. It is concluded that economic prospects for the oxalate route to glycol are unattractive.