Screening of Heterogeneous Multimetallic Nanoparticle Catalysts Supported on Metal Oxides for Mono-, Poly-, and Heteroaromatic Hydrogenation Activity

Abstract

A series of oxide supported mono-, bi-, and trimetallic nanoparticle catalysts were synthesized and screened for catalytic activity for the hydrogenation of mono-, poly-, and heteroaromatic substrates. Seventy-two different catalysts were screened for catalytic activity for the hydrogenation of toluene, naphthalene, pyridine, indole, quinoline, thiophene, and benzothiophene under mild conditions; five of these seven substrates were successfully hydrogenated under the reaction conditions. Bulk kinetic studies, including temperature and pressure studies, were performed using select catalysts for the hydrogenation of one hydrocarbon (naphthalene) and one-heteroatom substituted-substrate (quinoline). A quinoline loading study was also conducted in which the ratio of substrate/catalyst was varied. Standard materials characterization techniques including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were also used to acquire information about the size, oxidation state, and crystallinity of the nanoparticle catalysts.