Selective hydrogenation of maleic anhydride to γ-butyrolactone in supercritical carbon dioxide

The reaction rates of the hydrogenation of maleic anhydride (MAH) and succinic anhydride (SAH) were significantly accelerated and the selectivity to γ-butyrolactone (GBL) was enhanced largely when the reaction mixture was pressurized by a non-reactant of CO2. Above 99% selectivity to GBL was achieved in 14 MPa CO2, the superior selectivity in scCO2 was attributed to that MAH and/or SAH could be extracted to CO2 phase and separated from H2O, the hydrolysis were thus minimized and so the selectivity to GBL was improved.