Surface Species of Supported Ruthenium Catalysts in Selective Hydrogenation of Levulinic Esters for Bio-Refinery Application

• Published in: Catalysis letters 2012-06, Vol.142 (6), p.779-787
• Main Authors: Hengne, A. M., Biradar, N. S., Rode, C. V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Catalysis; Catalysts; Chemical industry; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Comparative analysis; Conversion; Esters; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Hydrogenation; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Metal catalysts; Noble metals; Organometallic Chemistry; Petroleum refineries; Physical Chemistry; Process parameters; Refineries; Ruthenium; Selectivity; Substrates; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy
• ISSN: 1011-372X; 1572-879X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10562-012-0822-4

Several supported noble metal catalysts were screened for the hydrogenation of methyl levulinate to γ-valerolactone (GVL). Among these catalysts 5 % Ru/C showed the highest conversion of 95 % of methyl levulinate with 91 % selectivity to GVL. A detailed characterization was carried out using TPR, XRD, XPS and BET techniques. XPS studies revealed that higher extent of Ru 0 species in case of carbon supported Ru was responsible for its higher hydrogenation activity as compared to Ru on other supports. Effect of process parameters such as temperature, H 2 pressure, catalyst and substrate concentration and metal loading on methyl LA conversion and selectivity to GVL also has been studied. 5 % Ru/C catalyst was found to be stable up to five reuses. Graphical Abstract