Alcohols and Other Oxygenates as Motor Fuels

Alcohols and other low molecular weight oxygenates are known to be potentially valuable gasoline substitutes. While these are generally of interest in relation to the long-term need to secure future motor fuel supplies, there is a more urgent need for substitutes which will improve the octane rating of unleaded fuels. For environmental reasons, oxygenates including alcohols may be preferred to other fuel ingredients which are currently proposed or introduced to replace lead compounds. In addition to octane improvement qualities, oxygenates were assessed with regard to power output and exhaust emissions thus confirming that no great deficiencies in these parameters would be introduced.