An Efficient Use of Hydrogen for the Simultaneous Synthesis of Cyclohexanone and Aniline Over Cu–MgO–Al2O3 (Hydrotalcite Like Precursor) Catalyst

Hydrogen-free hydrogenation of nitrobenzene via direct coupling with cyclohexanol dehydrogenation over ordered mesoporous MgO/SBA-15 supported Cu nanoparticles

Direct catalytic coupling of nitrobenzene hydrogenation and cyclohexanol dehydrogenation was studied in the gas phase over mesoporous MgO-SBA15 supported Cu nanoparticles. This approach avoids an external supply of H₂ and utilizes the in situ liberated H₂ from the dehydrogenation step of the first reactant for the hydrogenation reaction of the second reactant. A catalyst series consisting of four Cu/MgO-SBA15 mesoporous solids with varying Cu loadings (5–20 wt%) were prepared and systematically characterized by BET, ICP, XRD, TPR, TPD, FT-IR, SEM, XPS, and TEM. Among the series, the 15 wt% Cu catalyst exhibited the best performance with ≥82% conversion of nitrobenzene along with ≥89% cyclohexanol conversion. In addition, significantly higher yields of cyclohexanone (83%) and aniline (75%) could be achieved successfully over the same catalyst. Furthermore, the catalyst exhibited almost stable activity during 30 h time-on-stream with slow deactivation. The highly ordered mesoporous silica increases the metal–support interaction with smaller particles of Cu on the surface, and the synergism between acid–base sites is responsible for the improved catalytic activity.

Coupling of nitrobenzene and cyclohexanol over mesoporous Cu/MgO-SBA15 exhibited better conversion of 89% cyclohexanol, 82% nitrobenzene with remarkable yields of cyclohexanone (83%) and aniline (75%). The catalyst has stable activity up to 30 h.

One-pot synthesis of ethylbenzene/1-phenylethanol and γ-butyrolactone from simultaneous acetophenone hydrogenation and 1,4-butanediol dehydrogenation over copper based catalysts: effects of the support

The effect of the support in the simultaneous hydrogenation of acetophenone and dehydrogenation of 1,4-butanediol was studied using supported (MgO, γ-Al₂O₃, MgO–Al₂O₃ and SiO₂) copper (10 wt%) catalysts, prepared via impregnation.

RhNPs/SBA-NH2: a high-performance catalyst for aqueous phase reduction of nitroarenes to aminoarenes at room temperature

A RhNPs/SBA-NH₂ catalyst with <3 nm sized nanoparticles has been synthesized and used in the chemoselective hydrogenation of nitroarenes at room temperature in aqueous medium with N₂H₄·H₂O with high TOF.