Catalytic features of a low-temperature reduced alumina-supported platinum catalyst. Activity and selectivity in the liquid-phase hydrogenation of benzaldehyde and nitrobenzene

Abstract

A low-temperature reduced (LR) supported platinum catalyst was used for the hydrogenation of benzaldehyde, nitrobenzene and their mixture in ethanol, and compared with a high-temperature reduced (HR) catalyst. For benzaldehyde the LR catalyst was highly active to the formation of benzyl alcohol and did not give benzaldehyde diethyl acetal, which was largely formed by the HR catalyst. For the mixture, benzylideneaniline was selectively produced by the LR catalyst, while the HR catalyst gave benzylaniline and the acetal.