Highly selective hydrogenation of 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene over Pd/C catalysts without inhibitors

A series of Pd-only catalysts supported on activated carbon pretreated with HNO3 or EDTA-2Na for liquid phase selective hydrogenation 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene (DCNB) to corresponding 3,4-dichloroaniline (DCAN) are investigated. Characterization of the catalysts is performed by N2 adsorption/desorption, TPD, XRD and TPD techniques. The selectivity to DCAN is not only correlate with the Pd particle average size, but also correlate with distribution of Pd particles sizes. The surface groups of activated carbon can influence the average size and distribution of Pd particles. Pretreated activated carbon with HNO3, forms various oxygen-containing groups on the surface, results in large average size but wide-distributed Pd particles. On the contrast, pretreated activated carbon with EDTA-2Na results in large average size and narrow-distributed of Pd particles simultaneously. More than 60% Pd particles sizes are distributed in the 20–30 nm range of the 2% Pd loading catalyst pretreated with 1 M EDTA-2Na, of which the selectivity to DCAN is up to 99.61%.

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• Pd catalysts supported on pretreated activated carbon.
• Catalysts for liquid phase selective hydrogenation DCNB.
• Selectivity to DCAN correlates with the average size and distribution of Pd particle.
• Pretreated activated carbon with EDTA-2Na form well-distributed large Pd particles.