Ruthenium-containing SBA-12 catalysts for anisole hydrodeoxygenation

Hexagonally ordered mesoporous silica SBA-12 catalysts containing various amounts of Ru (1 or 3 wt.%) were obtained by wet impregnation. These catalysts were thoroughly characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption/desorption (N2 ads/des). Anisole conversion was measured over catalysts at different process conditions, where the process temperature was 90−130 °C and the hydrogen pressure – 25−60 bar. Prior the experiments the process was optimized, i.e., the amount of catalyst used in the reaction and the time of reaction were adjusted. This study shows a significant effect of hydrogen pressure and process temperature on the hydrodeoxygenation of anisole, the conversion of which increased (16–100 %) with both increasing parameters. For all the catalysts studied, the highest selectivity was obtained for two main reaction products, methoxycyclohexane and 1-methoxycyclohexene. Along with increasing conversion of anisole, the selectivity to the main reaction product - methoxycyclohexane generally increased (65–96 %) reducing the amount of 1-methoxycyclohexene (0–27 %).