Determining Roles of Cu0 in the Chemosynthesis of Diols via Condensed Diester Hydrogenation on Cu/SiO2 Catalyst

Copper-based catalyst was applied in the condensed diester hydrogenation with unexpected high selectivity (similar to 100 %) to 1,6-hexanediol. On basis of the mass transfer analysis and kinetics results, the reaction rate of the condensed diester hydrogenation was deduced to be controlled by the activation of hydrogen on Cu-0 sites, which was further demonstrated by the correlations between the catalytic activity and different copper species. Importantly, this catalysis mechanism is different with that of gas-phase diester hydrogenation, which is generally determined by the adsorption of ester on Cu+ species.