Ethylene hydrogenation over reduced copper

Of the numerous poisoning experiments that indicate heterogeneity of catalyst surfaces, reference may be made first to a study of selective poisoning made by Russell et al. (83,84). Russell and Ghering found that the rate of the hydrogenation of ethylene over reduced copper was not markedly affected by nitrous oxide but that the rate of ethane formation decreased rapidly as soon as the adsorbed nitrous oxide was decomposed. 

This reaction is brought about by reaction with hydrogen over a copper chromite catalyst at a pressure of about 250 atm. Under these conditions carbon-carbon double bonds in the glycerides or methyl esters are also reduced by the hydrogen. These alcohols can also be made from ethylene but the vegetable-oil-based route remains competitive at the present time. 

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