Hydrogenation of succinic acid to γ-butyrolactone (GBL) over ruthenium catalyst supported on surfactant-templated mesoporous carbon

Mesoporous carbon support (denoted as STC) was prepared by a surfactant-templating method for use as a support for ruthenium catalyst. For comparison, porous carbon (denoted as TC), spherical carbon (denoted as SC), and microporous carbon (denoted as DC) supports were also prepared by a templating method, hydrothermal method, and direct carbonization method, respectively. Ruthenium catalysts supported on carbon supports (Ru/C) were then prepared by an incipient wetness impregnation method. The Ru/C (Ru/DC, Ru/SC, Ru/TC, and Ru/STC) catalysts were characterized by FE-SEM, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherm, BET, XRD, and HR-TEM analyses. Liquid-phase hydrogenation of succinic acid to γ-butyrolactone (GBL) was carried out over Ru/C catalysts in a batch reactor. In the hydrogenation of succinic acid, Ru/STC catalyst showed the highest conversion of succinic acid and the highest yield for GBL. The superior catalytic performance of Ru/STC catalyst compared to the other catalysts (Ru/TC, Ru/SC, and Ru/DC) was due to fine dispersion of ruthenium (ruthenium surface area). Thus, ruthenium surface area played a key role in determining the catalytic performance in the liquid-phase hydrogenation of succinic acid to GBL over Ru/C catalysts.