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Title: Mg-Fe hydrotalcite as a catalyst for the reduction of aromatic nitro compounds with hydrazine hydrate

Journal Article · · Journal of Catalysis

Catalysts consisting of mixed oxides of Fe{sup 3+} and Mg{sup 2+} were prepared by decarbonation of Mg-Fe hydrotalcite-like precursors. They show high activity and selectivity for the selective reduction of aromatic nitro compounds under mild reaction conditions. they are regenerable and can be recycled without any loss of activity. The solids were characterized by XRD, XPS, and Moessbauer spectroscopy. From Moessbauer spectroscopy the solid appears as a well-dispersed ferrihydrite phase supported by a MgFeO matrix, and only Fe{sup 3+} ions in ferrihydrite can be reversibly reduced by hydrazine and reoxidized by the nitro compound. This observation and the value of the slope of the Hammett plot suggest that the mechanism is similar to that reported for iron oxides. The activity is proportional to the fractional surface of iron oxide, and at equal surface area, MgFe oxides are more active than iron oxides and form negligible amounts of hydroxylamine intermediates.

Research Organization:
Inst. de Recherches sur la Catalyse, Villeurbanne (FR)
OSTI ID:
20030527
Journal Information:
Journal of Catalysis, Vol. 191, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: 25 Apr 2000; ISSN 0021-9517
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English