Efficient formation of γ-valerolactone in the vapor-phase hydrogenation of levulinic acid over Cu-Co/alumina catalyst

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Vapor-phase hydrogenation of levulinic acid (LA) to γ-valerolactone (GVL) was investigated over Al2O3-supported bimetallic Cu-Co catalysts with different Cu/Co weight ratios under ambient H2 pressure. The bimetallic Cu-Co/Al2O3 catalyst with a Cu/Co weight ratio of 8/12 exhibits an excellent catalytic activity and stability: it showed a high GVL productivity of 5.46 kg kgcat.−1 h−1 with a GVL selectivity higher than 99% at 250 °C for 24 h. In the characterization of the catalysts, powder X-ray diffraction suggests that bimetallic Cu-Co particles on the Cu-Co/Al2O3 catalysts are composed of an alloy.