Solvent Effects in the Hydrogenation of 2-Butanone

Journal Article · Tue Mar 27 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Journal of Catalysis, 289:30-41

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcat.2012.01.011· OSTI ID:1053330

Akpa, B S; DAgostino, C; Gladden, L F; Hindle, K; Manyar, H; McGregor, J; Li, Ruoyu; Neurock, Matthew; Sinha, N; Stitt, E H; Weber, D; Zeitler, J A; Rooney, D W

In liquid-phase reaction systems, the role of the solvent is often limited to the simple requirement of dissolving and/or diluting substrates. However, the correct choice, either pure or mixed, can significantly influence both reaction rate and selectivity. For multi-phase heterogeneously catalysed reactions observed variations may be due to changes in mass transfer rates, reaction mechanism, reaction kinetics, adsorption properties and combinations thereof. The liquid-phase hydrogenation of 2-butanone to 2- butanol over a Ru/SiO2 catalyst, for example, shows such complex rate behaviour when varying water/isopropyl alcohol (IPA) solvent ratios. In this paper, we outline a strategy which combines measured rate data with physical property measurements and molecular simulation in order to gain a more fundamental understanding of mixed solvent effects for this heterogeneously catalysed reaction. By combining these techniques, the observed complex behaviour of rate against water fraction is shown to be a combination of both mass transfer and chemical effects.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1053330
• Journal Information: Journal of Catalysis, 289:30-41, Journal Name: Journal of Catalysis, 289:30-41
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory