Conversion of ethanol into linear primary alcohols on gold, nickel, and gold–nickel catalysts

The direct conversion of ethanol into the linear primary alcohols C n H2n+1OH (n = 4, 6, and 8) in the presence of the original mono- and bimetallic catalysts Au/Al2O3, Ni/Al2O3, and Au–Ni/Al2O3 was studied. It was established that the rate and selectivity of the reaction performed under the conditions of a supercritical state of ethanol sharply increased in the presence of Au–Ni/Al2O3. The yield of target products on the bimetallic catalyst was higher by a factor of 2–3 than that reached on the monometallic analogs. Differences in the catalytic behaviors of the Au, Ni, and Au–Ni systems were discussed with consideration for their structure peculiarities and reaction mechanisms.