Effect of surface hydroxyl group of ultra-small silica on the chemical states of copper catalyst for dimethyl oxalate hydrogenation

Epoxyethane Methoxycarbonylation over a Heterogeneous Catalyst Based on Functionalized Cobalt Carbonyl

In this work, we report a new heterogeneous catalyst for the methoxycarbonylation of epoxyethane (EO) to methyl 3-hydroxypropanoate (3-HPM), achieving good yields and recyclability of up to three times with no obvious loss in catalytic activity. The catalysts were prepared through an effective strategy to anchor active cobalt carbonyl species to functionalized silica-based molecular sieves. The successful grafting of functional ligand and cobalt carbonyl cluster was evident through 29Si-MAS NMR and FT-IR studies. Furthermore, an in situ FT-IR study indicates that a binuclear cobalt carbonyl catalyst may undergo a shift from bridged carbonyl to terminal carbonyl in the methoxycarbonylation of EO. According to time-dependent in situ FT-IR spectra in the carbonyl stretching region, the main product and intermediate are both captured, showing a new reaction mechanism different from the previous literature reports. These findings are significant for insight into the relation between the catalytic performance and structure.

Insights into a New Formation Mechanism of Robust Cu/SiO2 Catalysts for Low-Temperature Dimethyl Oxalate Hydrogenation Induced by a Chelating Ligand of EDTA

The Cu/SiO2 catalyst has been widely used in dimethyl oxalate (DMO) hydrogenation due to its low cost and high efficiency. However, the reaction temperature of DMO hydrogenation is higher than the Hüttig temperature of Cu, and the smaller Cu particles are easier to agglomerate. Therefore, there is much interest in constructing a catalyst with a small particle size and strong stability. In the present work, the effect of introducing EDTA on Cu/SiO2 catalysts is systematically investigated. It not only was beneficial to form smaller copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) but also to enhance the stability of Cu species by introducing a suitable amount of EDTA. Furthermore, the surface Cu species were more evenly dispersed, and the number of active sites was increased with the introduction of EDTA; subsequently, the synergistic effect between Cu+ and Cu0 was enhanced. The best performance of 0.08E-Cu/SiO2 had been achieved in the DMO hydrogenation to ethylene glycol (EG), and the DMO conversion and EG selectivity reached 99.9% and 97.7%, respectively. Above all, the 0.08E-Cu/SiO2 catalyst exhibited a high level of stability during the 1200 h life test at 180 °C.

Boron Modified Bifunctional Cu/SiO2 Catalysts with Enhanced Metal Dispersion and Surface Acid Sites for Selective Hydrogenation of Dimethyl Oxalate to Ethylene Glycol and Ethanol

Boron (B) promoter modified Cu/SiO2 bifunctional catalysts were synthesized by sol-gel method and used to produce ethylene glycol (EG) and ethanol (EtOH) through efficient hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate (DMO). Experimental results showed that boron promoter could significantly improve the catalytic performance by improving the structural characteristics of the Cu/SiO2 catalysts. The optimized 2B-Cu/SiO2 catalyst exhibited excellent low temperature catalytic activity and long-term stability, maintaining the average EG selectivity (Sel.EG) of 95% at 190 °C, and maintaining the average EtOH selectivity (Sel.EtOH) of 88% at 260 °C, with no decrease even after reaction of 150 h, respectively. Characterization results revealed that doping with boron promoter could significantly increase the copper dispersion, enhance the metal-support interaction, maintain suitable Cu+/(Cu+ + Cu0) ratio, and diminish metallic copper particles during the hydrogenation of DMO. Thus, this work introduced a bifunctional boron promoter, which could not only improve the copper dispersion, reduce the formation of bulk copper oxide, but also properly enhance the acidity of the sample surface, so that the Cu/SiO2 sample could exhibit superior EG selectivity at low temperature, as well as improving the EtOH selectivity at high temperature.

Copper Phyllosilicates-Derived Catalysts in the Production of Alcohols from Hydrogenation of Carboxylates, Carboxylic Acids, Carbonates, Formyls, and CO2: A Review

Copper phyllosilicates-derived catalysts (CuPS-cats) have been intensively explored in the past two decades due to their promising activity in carbonyls hydrogenation. However, CuPS-cats have not been completely reviewed. This paper focuses on the aspects concerning CuPS-cats from synthesis methods, effects of preparation conditions, and dopant to catalytic applications of CuPS-cats. The applications of CuPS-cats include the hydrogenation of carboxylates, carboxylic acids, carbonates, formyls, and CO2 to their respective alcohols. Besides, important factors such as the Cu dispersion, Cu+ and Cu0 surface areas, particles size, interaction between Cu and supports and dopants, morphologies, and spatial effect on catalytic performance of CuPS-cats are discussed. The deactivation and remedial actions to improve the stability of CuPS-cats are summarized. It ends up with the challenges and prospective by using this type of catalyst.

Promotional effect of indium on Cu/SiO2 catalysts for the hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate to ethylene glycol

CuIn/SiO2 with 1.0 wt% indium shows the best catalytic performance for DMO hydrogenation to EG. The synergistic effect of Cu0–Cu+–CuIn alloy in activating H2 molecules and carbonyl bonds is elucidated.

Efficient Cu catalyst for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural hydrogenolysis by forming Cu–O–Si bonds

Strong covalent bonding (Cu–O–Si) modulates the Cu status and boosts the C–O hydrogenolysis.