The utilization of bio-ethanol for production of 1-butanol catalysed by Mg–Al mixed metal oxides enhanced by Cu or Co

Abstract Ethanol, as a renewable raw material, is important source for preparation of higher alcohol and other add-value chemicals, which are currently produced from raw fossil materials. The Guerbet reaction is possible way to transformation of ethanol to 1-butanol (important for many kinds of industries), which consists of four steps: dehydrogenation, aldol condensation, dehydration, and hydrogenation. The reaction requires catalysis to favour 1-butanol, because of elimination of side reactions. The transformation was caried out via heterogeneous catalysis (Mg-Al mixed oxides with copper or cobalt) in the microflow reactor at three reaction temperatures (280, 300 and 350°C), which was the main aim of this work. The novelty especially lay in the statistically analysis of results from characterisations and catalysis (almost always omitted), which provided new perspective on the catalysis of the Guerbet reaction. The catalyst stability was proved by long term catalytic tests. The higher ethanol conversion, clear correlations of catalytic and characteristic data were achieved by copper dopped catalysts, compared to dopped by cobalt. Moreover, copper is more environmentally friendly, cheaper, and more used metal than cobalt.