(541c) Selective Hydrogenation of Alkyl-Substituted Phenols to Alkyl-Substituted Cyclohexanone over a Pd/Al2O3 Catalyst Using a Three-Phase Flow Reactor
AIChE Annual Meeting
2023
2023 AIChE Annual Meeting
Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Division
Catalysis and Reaction Engineering in Liquid and Multiphase Systems I: Reaction Mechanisms
Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 1:10pm to 1:30pm
In this work, we demonstrated the ability to achieve high selectivity (>90%) towards various alkyl-substituted cyclohexanone via liquid phase hydrogenation in an up-flow solid-liquid-gas phase reactor using a Pd/Al2O3 catalyst. The reaction performance was quantified through conversion and selectivity studies using hydrogenation of phenol, p-cresol, and p-propyl-phenol in the flow reactor system under various space velocities and hydrogen partial pressure. In addition, kinetic measurements and a stability study over time is presented as a function of the variation of alkyl groups, metal dispersion, and operating parameters. The results from this study provide new evidence for the ability to process complex lignin-derived materials under mild conditions into valuable feedstocks for high-performing polymers.