A COMBINED EXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTATIONAL STUDY OF THE SELECTIVE HYDROGENATION OF ACROLEIN ON SUPPORTED SILVER ALLOY CATALYSTS

摘要

Selective hydrogenation is a critical reaction in the upgradingnof biomass derived intermediates which poses significant challenges.nFor example, hydrogenation selective of α, β–unsaturated aldehydesnto α, β–unsaturated alcohols requires kinetic control because thenhydrogenation of C=C bond is thermodynamically favored. We havenchosen to acrolein (the smallest α,β–unsaturated aldehyde)nhydrogenation as a model reaction to study the selectivity betweenndouble bond hydrogenation and hydrogenation of the aldehydenfunctionality. Supported Ag (and Ag alloy) catalysts have beennshown to be both reasonably active and selective1,2.