Promoting effects of alkaline earth oxides on the vapor phase carbonylation of ethene over cluster-derived cobalt catalysts

Abstract

Alkaline earth oxide modified Co/SiO 2 catalysts derived from a cobalt carbonyl cluster [Co 2(CO) 8] exhibit high selectivities for vapor phase carbonylation of ethene to produce propanal, n-propanol, propanoic acid, and aldol condensates of propanol under the reaction conditions of 1.1 MPa of a gas-mixture of Ar:C 2H 4:CO:H 2=1:3:3:3 at 423–503 K. Alkaline earth oxides notably promote the formation of propanoic acid and aldol condensates. The carbonylation selectivity of cobalt-alkaline earth oxide/SiO 2 catalysts was increased in the following order: alkaline earth oxide=none<Mg<Ba≈Sr≈Ca.