Synthesis and Hydrodeoxygenation Properties of Ruthenium Phosphide Catalysts

Ru2P/SiO2 and RuP/SiO2 catalysts were prepared by the temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) of uncalcined precursors containing hypophosphite ion (H2PO2–) as the phosphorus source. The Ru2P/SiO2 and RuP/SiO2 catalysts had small average particle sizes (∼4 nm) and high CO chemisorption capacities (90–110 μmol/g). The Ru phosphide catalysts exhibited similar or higher furan (C4H4O) hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) activities than did a Ru/SiO2 catalyst, and the phosphide catalysts favored C4 hydrocarbon products while the Ru metal catalyst produced primarily C3 hydrocarbons.