Direct Au-Ni/Al2O3 catalysed cross-condensation of ethanol with isopropanol into pentanol-2

•β-alkylation of isopropanol with ethanol was achieved over Au-Ni/Al2O3 catalyst.•No sacrificial agents were used, only heterogeneous catalyst.•Selectivity of cross-coupling products is 67%, substrates conversion is 36-39%.•Synergetic effect of Au and Ni was found.•Structural peculiarities of catalysts were investigated and discussed.

Ethanol and isopropanol cross-condensation 0.2Au-0.06Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst have been developed based on the synergetic effect of gold and nickel in many reactions. A cross-condensation reaction results in the formation of pentanol-2 and pentanon-2 in high yields in the absence of any alkali or sacrificial agents (e.g., hydrogen acceptors or hydrogen donors). In this study, heterogeneous Au-Ni/Al2O3 catalysts were used in this type of reaction for the first time. The catalyst developed in this study is also effective for the self-condensation of ethanol, providing 85% selectivity of linear α-alcohols at 63.5% ethanol conversion. Structural investigations show that the morphological peculiarities and charge state of gold may produce the different activities of mono- and bimetallic Au- and Ni-containing catalysts.

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