Tuning Cu+ species/Brønsted acids of copper phyllosilicate by K+ doping for selective hydrogenation of methyl palmitate to hexadecanol

Abstract

Selective hydrogenation of methyl palmitate to hexadecanol can be manipulated by tuning Cu+ species and Brønsted acid sites (BAS) of copper phyllosilicate (CuPS) catalysts with K+ doping. The catalysts were prepared by impregnating K+ onto reduced and non-reduced CuPS. The reactions were carried out in a fixed-bed flow reactor at 250 °C under atmospheric H2. In situ TR-XANES and Py-IR suggest that the presence of K+ could stabilize Cu+ species and neutralize BAS. As compared to the non-reduced sample, K+ loading (0.01–0.10 wt%) on the reduced CuPS provide higher Cu+ fraction (10–16%), lower BAS (0.82 to 0.16μ mol/g) and lower Cu dispersion (75 to 52%). A balance between Cu0 active surface and Cu+ content provides an optimum hydrogenation activity (up to 80 %). The increased Cu+ species, together with the decreased BAS, does not only enhance the catalyst stability, but also hexadecanol selectivity (from 35 to 60%, at ∼50% conversion).