Hydrodechlorination of chlorobenzene over supported metal catalysts

Green Chemistry for the Transformation of Chlorinated Wastes: Catalytic Hydrodechlorination on Pd-Ni and Pd-Fe Bimetallic Catalysts Supported on SiO2

Monometallic catalysts based on Fe, Ni and Pd, as well as bimetallic catalysts based on Fe-Pd and based on Ni-Pd supported on silica, were synthesized using a sol–gel cogelation process. These catalysts were tested in chlorobenzene hydrodechlorination at low conversion to consider a differential reactor. In all samples, the cogelation method allowed very small metallic nanoparticles of 2–3 nm to be dispersed inside the silica matrix. Nevertheless, the presence of some large particles of pure Pd was noted. The catalysts had specific surface areas between 100 and 400 m2/g. In view of the catalytic results obtained, the Pd-Ni catalysts are less active than the monometallic Pd catalyst (<6% of conversion) except for catalysts with a low proportion of Ni (9% of conversion) and for reaction temperatures above 240 °C. In this series of catalysts, increasing the Ni content increases the activity but leads to an amplification of the catalyst deactivation phenomenon compared to Pd alone. On the other hand, Pd-Fe catalysts are more active with a double conversion value compared to a Pd monometallic catalyst (13% vs. 6%). The difference in the results obtained for each of the catalysts in the Pd-Fe series could be explained by the greater presence of the Fe-Pd alloy in the catalyst. Fe would have a cooperative effect when associated with Pd. Although Fe is inactive alone for chlorobenzene hydrodechlorination, when Fe is coupled to another metal from the group VIIIb, such as Pd, it allows the phenomenon of Pd poisoning by HCl to be reduced.

CuO-Fe2O3 Nanoparticles Supported on SiO2 and Al2O3 for Selective Hydrogenation of 2-Methyl-3-Butyn-2-ol

In this study, novel SiO2- and Al2O3-supported Cu-Fe catalysts are developed for selective hydrogenation of 2-methyl-3-butyne-2-ol to 2-methyl-3-butene-2-ol under mild reaction conditions. TEM, XRD, and FTIR studies of adsorbed CO and TPR-H2 are performed to characterize the morphology, nanoparticle size, and particle distribution, as well as electronic state of deposited metals in the prepared catalysts. The deposition of Fe and Cu metal particles on the aluminum oxide carrier results in the formation of a mixed oxide phase with a strong interaction between the Fe and Cu precursors during the calcination. The highly dispersed nanoparticles of Fe2O3 and partially reduced CuOx, with an average size of 3.5 nm and with strong contact interactions between the metals in 5Cu-5Fe/Al2O3 catalysts, provide a high selectivity of 93% toward 2-methyl-3-butene-2-ol at complete conversion of the unsaturated alcohol.