Hydrogenation of Alkylanthraquinone Over Pore-Expanded and Channel-Shortened Pd/SBA-15

Abstract

SBA-15 silica was synthesized by adding normal paraffin and alkyl benzene as swelling agents and using a low-temperature gelation procedure. Pd was then impregnated on SBA-15, yielding a catalyst. Characterizations of the catalyst by X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption/desorption, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron micrographs, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, in situ FTIR, and a hydrogenation test of 2-ethyl-anthraquinone reveal that the addition of C6‒C9 normal paraffin and 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene could enlarge the pore diameter without a significant loss of ordered structure. Moreover, the length of SBA-15 pore channels decreased significantly. However, the sizes of Pd particles increase as the pore diameter is enlarged. The largest pore size (13.6 nm) and short length of pore channels (ca. 0.35 μm) are achieved by adding n-hexane. As a result, this catalyst exhibits the highest hydrogenation activity with an approximately 100% improvement, compared with a conventionally synthesized catalyst in the absence of a swelling agent.