Study on the Catalytic Properties of Silica Supported Copper Catalysts

The mesoporous silica (MS) supported copper catalysts containing 2 wt. % copper in finely dispersed form were synthesized and characterized. A comparative study on the effect of calcination temperature and reduction of the supported metal on catalytic property of supported copper species was carried out. The loading of copper on the supports provides good reducibility and catalytic activity for dehydrogenation of benzyl alcohol. The acidity and copper ions in mesoporous silica supported copper sample showed good activity in catalytic transformations of benzyl alcohol.