Titania-supported gold-based nanoparticles efficiently catalyze the hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol

- TiO2-supported Au, Rh and AuRh catalysts were tested in guaiacol hydrodeoxygenation.
- Au/TiO2 is active and 85% selective to phenolic compounds between 260 and 300 °C.
- AuRh/TiO2 is the most selective catalyst toward O-free (naphthenic) compounds.

Well-defined Au, Rh and AuRh nanoparticles were synthesized by colloidal chemical co-reduction, immobilized on rutile titania nanorods, and evaluated in the gas-phase hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of guaiacol, an important product of lignin pyrolysis. Au/TiO2 appears active, stable and selective for the HDO of guaiacol to phenol in broad temperature and conversion ranges, making this model catalyst the first reported example of gold efficiency for the hydroprocessing of a lignin derivative. Furthermore, upon nanoalloying Au with Rh, the main HDO product at 280 °C switches from phenol to cyclohexane, which is tentatively ascribed to a cooperative effect.

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