Selective aqueous phase hydrodeoxygenation of erythritol over carbon-supported Cu catalyst prepared from ion-exchange resin

Abstract

For the selective hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of erythritol to butanediols, a carbon-supported Cu catalyst (Cu/C) with small copper particles (diameter of 14.9 nm) at high metal loading (66.9 wt%) was prepared using a weakly acidic cation-exchange resin as the carbon support precursor. Compared with the activated carbon-supported Cu catalyst prepared by the impregnation method, Cu/C showed high activity, high butanediol selectivity, and high sintering resistance. The effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, and initial hydrogen pressure on erythritol conversion and butanediol selectivity were also studied. The highest butanediol yield of 18.3 C-mol% at a butanediol selectivity of 54 C-mol% was realized over the Cu/C catalyst at 180 °C and 1.8 MPa H2 for 240 h. Moreover, the HDO of erythritol to butanediols over Cu/C proceeded mainly via 1,2,4-butanetriol. Vicinal diols such as 1,2-butanediol and 2,3-butanediol were favorably formed over the Cu surface because the substrates were adsorbed on Cu via the two vicinal OH groups and these OH groups did not participate in the HDO reactions.