Liquid phase hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde over copper incorporated in MCM-48

A series of Cu/MCM-48 catalysts is studied for the liquid phase hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde. Copper is incorporated in MCM-48 following a classical hydrothermal synthesis or by wet impregnation of the MCM-48 precursor (before eliminating the directing agent) with Cu(AcAc)2. The copper loading is in the 2–20 wt% range. Characterization results from TPR and XRD indicate that copper crystals supported on MCM-48 surface coexist with copper incorporated in the MCM-48 walls. The presence of Cu+ in MCM-48 is concluded from characterization with FTIR of adsorbed CO. This species would be the responsible for the relatively high selectivity of Cu/MCM-48. These catalysts show approximately 50% of selectivity against 7% of Cu/SiO2 (both values measured at 10% of conversion).

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► Cu/MCM-48 catalysts are prepared and characterized.
► Copper crystals coexists with highly dispersed copper species.
► The Cu/MCM-48 catalysts are selective toward crotyl alcohol.
► The catalytic patterns can be explained on the basis of characterization results.