Highly Active Ni/SiO2 Catalyst Prepared Through Citric Acid-Assisted Impregnation for the Hydrogenation of Acetoin to 2,3-Butanediol

Abstract

The vapor-phase hydrogenation of acetoin (AC) to 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) was investigated over SiO2-supported Ni (Ni/SiO2) catalysts prepared by impregnation assisted with organic additives. Among 14 catalysts with different organic additives, the Ni/SiO2 prepared with citric acid (CA) was found to show the highest activity. The Ni/SiO2 catalyst prepared with CA has a much higher hydrogenation ability for AC and a higher selectivity to 2,3-BDO than typical noble metal catalysts. In addition, it was preferable that the hydrogenation of AC was conducted at a low temperature in the hydrogenation-dehydrogenation equilibrium between AC and 2,3-BDO to provide 2,3-BDO selectively.

Vapor-Phase Oxidant-Free Dehydrogenation of 2,3- and 1,4-Butanediol over Cu/SiO2 Catalyst Prepared by Crown-Ether-Assisted Impregnation

“…Numerous strategies have been developed to prepare Cu catalysts that contain highly dispersed Cu nanoparticles [52][53][54][55]. In line with this effort, we have also reported a strategy to generate highly active Ni-based catalysts containing highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles using an organic-additive-assisted impregnation protocol [56][57][58]. This strategy has been proven to improve the catalytic activity of Ni catalysts for the hydrogenation of CO 2 [56], levulinic acid [57], and acetoin [58].…”

“…In line with this effort, we have also reported a strategy to generate highly active Ni-based catalysts containing highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles using an organic-additive-assisted impregnation protocol [56][57][58]. This strategy has been proven to improve the catalytic activity of Ni catalysts for the hydrogenation of CO 2 [56], levulinic acid [57], and acetoin [58]. Recently, we have also prepared Cu/SiO 2 catalysts using various organic additives for the vapor-phase dehydrogenation of 1-decanol to decanal [59].…”

“…Other crown ethers, such as 15C5 and 18C6, also generated 2Cu/SiO 2 catalysts with higher performance than a none-2Cu/SiO 2 catalyst (entries 3 and 4), even though those catalysts were inferior to the 12C4-2Cu/SiO 2 catalyst. CA, which was efficient in improving the activity of Ni-based catalysts [56][57][58], also improved the catalytic performance of the 2Cu/SiO 2 catalyst (entry 5). Nevertheless, the performance of the CA-2Cu/SiO 2 catalyst was slightly lower than that of the 12C4-2Cu/SiO 2 catalyst.…”