Glucose-derived carbon-coated Ni–In intermetallic compounds for in situ aqueous phase selective hydrogenation of methyl palmitate to hexadecanol

The carbon-coated Ni (Ni@C) and Ni–In intermetallic compounds (IMCs) (Ni–In@C) catalysts were synthesized via combining one-pot hydrothermal method with glucose as carbon source and the carbonization under N2 atmosphere. Their reactivities were compared in in situ aqueous phase selective hydrogenation of methyl palmitate to hexadecanol using methanol as a H2 donor. The Ni@C catalyst dominatingly catalyzes decarbonylation/decarboxylation, accompanying with the serious C–C bond hydrogenolysis and methanation. In contrast, hexadecanol is mainly generated on Ni–In@C, where C–C bond hydrogenolysis and methanation are remarkably inhibited. This is ascribed to the geometric and electronic property of Ni–In IMCs. The hexadecanol yield reaches 84.0% under an optimal condition on Ni–In@C. The structure of NiIn IMC is hydrothermally stable even at 330 °C, and the Ni–In IMCs particles highly resist to sintering and leaching under harsh hydrothermal condition due to the confinement of carbon. Catalyst deactivation is mainly due to the carbonaceous deposition, and the catalyst reactivity is mostly recovered by the regeneration with CO2.