Hydrogenation and Hydrogenolysis of Acetophenone

Abstract

Catalytic hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of acetophenone was investigated on supported palladium catalysts in liquid phase at temperatures 30-130 °C and pressures 1-10 MPa. A number of supports like active carbon, alumina and zeolites Beta and ZSM-5 were employed. The effects of solvent and support on the reaction mechanism of acetophenone transformation were studied. Catalysts with acid zeolite support showed a very high activity in transformation of acetophenone to ethylbenzene. Based on a kinetic model, the reaction rates of acetophenone transformation to ethylbenzene on Pd/C and Pd/Al2O3 catalysts were discussed. The kinetic model confirmed that the transformation of acetophenone to ethylbenzene proceeds primarily via a hydrogenation-dehydration mechanism and the effect of the direct hydrogenolysis of the C=O bond of acetophenone is insignificant.