Effect of support materials on liquid-phase hydrogenation of hydroquinone over ruthenium catalysts

A series of ruthenium catalysts supported by H–Y, Na–Y and TiO2 were fabricated and characterized by XRD, BET and IR of adsorbed pyridine to establish some physicochemical properties of the catalysts. The activity of the catalysts was tested in hydroquinone hydrogenation reaction and the yield of 1, 4-cyclohexanediol was found to be in the following increasing order: Ru/TiO2 << Ru/H–Y < Ru/Na–Y. IR of adsorbed pyridine analysis revealed that Ru/Na–Y catalyst possessed optimal ratios of Lewis to Brønsted acid which could contribute to high selectivity of Ru/Na–Y catalyst for hydrogenation of hydroquinone.

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