Use of noble metals in hydrodeoxygenation reactions

Abstract

Two series of catalysts supported on active carbon containing noble metals (NM) Pt, Pd, Ru and Rh were prepared (bimetallic NM-Mo/C and trimetallic NM-CoMo/C catalysts) and tested in their sulphided form in hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reactions of model molecules containing carbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl and methoxy groups. Results show that hydrogenation reactions of the carbonyl and carboxyl groups are favoured by the presence of NM in the case of the bimetallic catalysts. The influence of cobalt in the decarboxylation reaction was confirmed. Bimetallic catalysts without cobalt have no decarboxylation activity. A mutual interaction between noble metal sulphides and cobalt sulphide was observed for trimetallic catalysts. Effects of this interaction are different for each metal, which indicates that the noble metal nature is implicated in this phenomenon.