Influence of method of preparation of Co-Cu/MgO catalyst on dehydrogenation/dehydration reaction pathway of 1, 4-butanediol

Co-Cu/MgO catalyst was prepared by two different methods: one involving generation of Cu and Mg mixed carbonate by coprecipitation followed by mixing it with Co carbonate (Catalyst-1) and the second method involving coprecipitation of all the nitrate salts to get the mixed carbonate (Catalyst-2). Contacting 1,4-butanediol on Catalyst-1 under vapor phase yielded gamma-butyrolactone via dehydrogenation, whereas; Catalyst-2 yielded tetrahydrofuran via dehydration. Higher Cu dispersion obtained by N(2)O pulse chemisorption due to smaller particle size in Catalyst-1 is found to be responsible for the lactonization activity. The presence of strong acid sites, as determined by NH(3) TPD, in Catalyst-2 leads to tetrahydrofuran formation by dehydration of 1,4-butanediol. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.