Development of a Heterogeneous Non-Mercury Catalyst for Acetylene Hydrochlorination

Because of the toxicity of mercury catalysts, a nonmercury heterogeneous catalyst for acetylene hydrochlorination has been widely investigated. In this Perspective, we introduce the development of Au-based catalysts, Ru-based catalysts, other metal catalysts, and a carbon nitride catalyst. The effect of the promoter and the carbon support property on the catalytic performance of the AuCl3 catalyst is discussed in detail, and the potential application of other catalysts is also reviewed on the basis of experimental and theoretical studies. At present, it is predicted that a Au-based catalyst may be the optimal candidate catalyst for industrial application in the production of polyvinyl chloride from calcium carbide, but other catalysts should still be further investigated to improve their catalytic performance and their cost advantages.