Influence of Physicochemical Properties of Ni/Clinoptilolite Catalysts in the Hydrogenation of Acetophenone

Abstract

Heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation is an interesting alternative to conventional methods that use inorganic hydrides. The hydrogenation of acetophenone under heterogeneous conditions with the supported catalysts based on Ni is the most useful due to its redox properties and lower cost. As is well-known, catalyst support can significantly affect catalyst performance. We have investigated the influence of various physical-chemical parameters on the selective reaction of the hydrogenation of acetophenone by using different nickel catalysts on clinoptilolite supports, in four different forms: natural, previously modified with NH3 (Ni/Z+NH4+), with HNO3 (Ni/Z+H+), and thermally treated (Ni/Z 500 °C). In particular, our work focuses on determining the influence of the mentioned physical-chemical parameters on the percentages of conversion and the selectivity of the catalysis. This study aims to identify the combination of parameters that allows for obtaining the best catalytic results. The identification of the physical-chemical parameters that determine the percentages of conversion and selectivity allows us to design optimal catalysts.