Effect of Support Properties on Selective Butanediols Production from Erythritol using Ir/ReO x Catalysts

VIRGILIO, EMANUEL M.; PADRÓ, CRISTINA L.; SAD, MARÍA E.

CHEMCATCHEM

WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH

Año: 2021

1867-3880

This study reports the selective obtaining of butanediols (BDO),widely used in the polymer and synthetic rubber industry, byC-O hydrogenolysis of erythritol. The effect of the support oncatalytic activity and selectivity to BDO was exhaustively studiedusing Ir/ReOx catalysts supported on SiO2, Al2O3, activatedcarbon, CeO2, TiO2 and ZrO2. The catalysts were thoroughlycharacterized and it was found that the physicochemical, redoxand acidic properties of the supports notably influenced themetal dispersion, reducibility of the species and particle sizes.The most active and selective catalyst was Ir/ReOx/TiO2 (maximumBDO yield of 53%), favoring C-O hydrogenolysis andminimizing C-C scissions and dehydration reactions. Thissuperior performance was attributed to the formation of smallclusters with an intimate contact between Ir and partiallyoxidized Re species (mainly Re+IV) that favors the appropriateadsorption of erythritol on ReO2 and the further interactionwith H2 adsorbed on Ir0 to render BDO.