The influence of the solvent (water, acetone, and ethanol) used during alumina impregnation
on the properties of Pt/Al2O3 and Pt−Sn/Al2O3 catalysts was studied. Catalysts were characterized
by H2 chemisorption, TEM, temperature-programmed reduction, ammonia temperature-programmed desorption, UV−vis spectroscopy and cyclohexane dehydrogenation, n-pentane
isomerization, and n-octane reforming reactions. It was found that the catalysts prepared in
ethanol has the highest metallic dispersion. The results are explained considering the Pt−Sn
complex stability in the different solvents used during the preparation. Pt/Al2O3 (acetone) is
the most active catalyst for isomerization while the activity of Pt−Sn/Al2O3 catalysts decreases
in the order ethanol > acetone > water. The selectivity to aromatic hydrocarbons is related to
isomerization activity, but there also exits a competition between hydrocracking and dehydrocyclization.