Activity and selectivity of the supported rhodium and rhodium-gold catalysts for hydrogenation of benzene and toluene

Abstract

Rhodium and rhodium-gold catalysts supported on amorphous aluminosilicates (ASA), titanium dioxide
(rutile, TiO 2 ) were prepared in two different ways: by the absorption and colloidal method. The catalysts were characterized
by an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Xray diffraction (XRD). The activity and selectivity of the prepared catalysts were tested by the hydrogenation of benzene and
toluene. Hydrogenation was conducted at a pressure of 4 MPa and a temperature 80 ◦ C. The bimetallic Rh-Au/ASA catalyst
prepared by the absorption method showed high activity in the benzene hydrogenation reaction, the same catalyst prepared by
the colloid method demonstrated high activity in the toluene hydrogenation reaction. We believe that as a result, it was possible
to obtain a catalyst which allows to selectively hydrogenate benzene among other aromatic compounds. It was determined
that the gold compound is not capable to significantly increase the catalytic activity of the rhodium catalyst, moreover, the
aluminosilicate is the effective supporter. It was investigated that the products of the hydrolysis of benzene and toluene are only
cyclohexane and methyl cyclohexane