Hydrogenation catalysts copper chromite

When Adkins tried to modify the Lazier recipe and make a copper chromite hydrogenation catalyst, he found that an active black cupric oxide was produced instead of the red oxide claimed by Lazier. Adkins and Folkers subsequently suggested modifications to the recipe, including the addition of barium, magnesium, or calcium oxides to stabilize the black oxide form, which was more active. Atypical recipe and catalyst composition is shown in Table 3.11. 

I) of which one form (picrate, m.p. 116°) is identical with dl-dihydro-de-N-methylheliotridane and the other (picrate, m.p. 126°) is diastereoisomeric with, and convertible into, it by, dehydrogenation to the corresponding pyrrole and hydrogenation of the latter in presence of copper chromite as catalyst. 

Copper chromite (Adkins catalyst) does not catalyze hydrogenation of benzene rings. 

Clemo and Swan found that 2-methyl- and 2-ethyl-7-azaindole were reduced more reliably with copper chromite as catalyst under 160 atm of hydrogen at 180°. 2-Methyl-7-azaindoline (98, R = Me) was obtained in 42 % yield. They reported that Kruber s conditions gave mostly gums, from which only a little of the A-benzoyl derivatives could be isolated. Recently, however, 2-methyl-7-azaindoline (98, R = Me) was prepared on a 0.7-mole scale by use of Raney nickel under conditions identical to those used by Kruber, although no yield was reported. ... 

Hydrogenation Copper chromite (Lazier catalyst). Copper chromium oxide (Adkins catalyst). Lindlar catalyst (see also Lithium ethoxyacetylide, Malealdehyde, Nickel boride). Nickel catalysts. Palladium catalysts. Palladium hydroxide on carbon. Perchloric acid (promoter). Platinum catalysts. Raney catalysts, Rhenium catalysts. Rhodium catalysts. Stannous chloride. Tributylborane. Trifluoroicetic acid, Tris (triphenylphosphine)chlororhodium. 

A slurry phase concurrent synthesis of methanol using a potassium meth-oxide/copper chromite mixed catalyst has been developed. This process operates under relatively mild conditions such as temperatures of 100-180°C and pressures of 30-65 atm. The reaction pathway involves a homogeneous carbonylation of methanol to methyl formate followed by the heterogeneous hydrogenolysis of methyl formate to two molecules of methanol, the net result being the reaction of hydrogen with carbon monoxide to give methanol via methyl formate ... 

Copper-chromite type catalysts supported by alumina or graphite and promoted with barium were used for the one step synthesis of tertiary fatty amines (R2NCH3 or RN(CH3)2) from nitrile, methanol and hydrogen. The surface composition of the catalysts was studied by XPS and by adsorption experiments. A correlation was found between the selectivity and the presence of a well-dispersed CUC1O2 phase, stabilized with barium. Moreover the elements influencing the stability of the copper catalysts were also studied and we remarked the effect of the promoter or/and of the support on the variation of the copper surface area in the presence of water or ammonia. These modifications were examined in relation with the change of the catalytic properties with time-on-stream. 

All these results suggest that in copper chromite type catalysts ionic copper species can be the active site for the hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds. 

A successful catalyst development in the last few years has made possible the direct hydrogenation of fats to fatty alcohols in a one-stage process. The laborious transesterification of the the fats can be dispensed with. Beside the high-quality coconut and palm oils, lower quality, acid-containing fats and oils can now be hydrogenated by using new acid-stable copper chromite spinel catalysts. 

Reduction. Hydrogenation of dimethyl adipate over Raney-promoted copper chromite at 200°C and 10 MPa produces 1,6-hexanediol [629-11-8], an important chemical intermediate (32). Promoted cobalt catalysts (33) and nickel catalysts (34) are examples of other patented processes for this reaction. An eadier process, which is no longer in use, for the manufacture of the 1,6-hexanediamine from adipic acid involved hydrogenation of the acid (as its ester) to the diol, followed by ammonolysis to the diamine (35). 

Dicyclohexylarnine may be selectively generated by reductive alkylation of cyclohexylamine by cyclohexanone (15). Stated batch reaction conditions are specifically 0.05—2.0% Pd or Pt catalyst, which is reusable, pressures of 400—700 kPa (55—100 psi), and temperatures of 75—100°C to give complete reduction in 4 h. Continuous vapor-phase amination selective to dicyclohexylarnine is claimed for cyclohexanone (16) or mixed cyclohexanone plus cyclohexanol (17) feeds. Conditions are 5—15 s contact time of <1 1 ammonia ketone, - 3 1 hydrogen ketone at 260°C over nickel on kieselguhr. With mixed feed the preferred conditions over a mixed copper chromite plus nickel catalyst are 18-s contact time at 250 °C with ammonia alkyl = 0.6 1 and hydrogen alkyl = 1 1. 

Hydrogenation. Gas-phase catalytic hydrogenation of succinic anhydride yields y-butyrolactone [96-48-0] (GBL), tetrahydrofiiran [109-99-9] (THF), 1,4-butanediol (BDO), or a mixture of these products, depending on the experimental conditions. Catalysts mentioned in the Hterature include copper chromites with various additives (72), copper—zinc oxides with promoters (73—75), and mthenium (76). The same products are obtained by hquid-phase hydrogenation catalysts used include Pd with various modifiers on various carriers (77—80), Ru on C (81) or Ru complexes (82,83), Rh on C (79), Cu—Co—Mn oxides (84), Co—Ni—Re oxides (85), Cu—Ti oxides (86), Ca—Mo—Ni on diatomaceous earth (87), and Mo—Ba—Re oxides (88). Chemical reduction of succinic anhydride to GBL or THF can be performed with 2-propanol in the presence of Zr02 catalyst (89,90). 

Uses ndReactions. Nerol (47) and geraniol (48) can be converted to citroneUol (27) by hydrogenation over a copper chromite catalyst (121). In the absence of hydrogen and under reduced pressure, citroneUal is produced (122). If a nickel catalyst is used, a mixture of nerol, geraniol, and citroneUol is obtained and such a mixture is also useful in perfumery. Hydrogenation of both double bonds gives dimethyl octanol, another useful product. 

The preparation of methyl 12-ketostearate from methyl ricinoleate has been accompHshed using copper chromite catalyst. The ketostearate can also be prepared from methyl ricinoleate in a two-step process using Raney nickel. The first step is a rapid hydrogenation to methyl 12-hydroxystearate, the hydrogen coming from the catalyst, followed by a slower dehydrogenation to product (50,51). 

For more selective hydrogenations, supported 5—10 wt % palladium on activated carbon is preferred for reductions in which ring hydrogenation is not wanted. Mild conditions, a neutral solvent, and a stoichiometric amount of hydrogen are used to avoid ring hydrogenation. There are also appHcations for 35—40 wt % cobalt on kieselguhr, copper chromite (nonpromoted or promoted with barium), 5—10 wt % platinum on activated carbon, platinum (IV) oxide (Adams catalyst), and rhenium heptasulfide. Alcohol yields can sometimes be increased by the use of nonpolar (nonacidic) solvents and small amounts of bases, such as tertiary amines, which act as catalyst inhibitors. 

Ruthenium is excellent for hydrogenation of aliphatic carbonyl compounds (92), and it, as well as nickel, is used industrially for conversion of glucose to sorbitol (14,15,29,75,100). Nickel usually requires vigorous conditions unless large amounts of catalyst are used (11,20,27,37,60), or the catalyst is very active, such as W-6 Raney nickel (6). Copper chromite is always used at elevated temperatures and pressures and may be useful if aromatic-ring saturation is to be avoided. Rhodium has given excellent results under mild conditions when other catalysts have failed (4,5,66). It is useful in reduction of aliphatic carbonyls in molecules susceptible to hydrogenolysis. 

Ruthenium dioxide or ruthenium-on-carbon are effective catalysts for hydrogenation of mono- and dicarboxylic acids to the alcohol or glycol. High pressures (5,000-10,000 psig) and elevated temperatures (130-225 C) have been used in these hydrogenations 8,12,24). Yields of alcohol tend to be less than perfect because of esterification of the alcohol. Near quantitative yields of alcohol can be obtained by mixing ruthenium and copper chromite catalysts so as to reduce the ester as formed. 

Alcohols are the most frequently formed products of ester hydrogenolysis. The hydrogenation of esters to alcohols is a reversible reaction with alcohol formation favored at high pressure, ester at low pressure (/). Copper chromite is usually the catalyst of choice. Details for the preparation of this catalyst (/7) and a detailed procedure for hydrogenation of ethyl adipate to hexamethylene glycol (/[Pg.80]

The presence of catalysts markedly changes the deflagration rate. The greatest rate increase is produced by copper chromite, a well-known hydrogenation catalyst. Some additives which catalyze the process at higher pressures may inhibit it strongly at lower pressures. The catalyst effect is related to catalyst particle-size and concentration, but these factors have not been studied extensively. 

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