Hydration of α‐Pinene over SO₄²⁻/Zr‐MCM‐41 in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

Abstract

The hydration of α‐Pinene to α‐Terpineol was studied using SO42−/Zr‐MCM‐41 mesoporous molecular sieves as catalysts in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2). The reaction results showed SO42−/Zr‐MCM‐41 was of better selectivity to the α‐Terpineol in scCO2 than in conventional conditions, and was of the same catalytic activities in scCO2 and in conventional conditions. The effect of some factors on the catalytic activities and the regenerable performance of SO42−/Zr‐MCM‐41, such as different Zr source, the method of introducing SO42−, the concentration of SO42−, calcination temperature and calcination time, were studied. These results showed the cooperation of Zr and SO42− was the main reason that SO42−/Zr‐MCM‐41 was of excellent catalytic activity, and Zr(SO4)2, as the Zr source, was active for the regenerable performance of SO42−/Zr‐MCM‐41.