The Catalytic Hydrogenation of Maleic Anhydride on CeO2−δ-Supported Transition Metal Catalysts

The proper selection of transition metals and support is pivotal to the design of active and selective catalysts for maleic anhydride hydrogenation (MAH). Herein, the M/CeO2−δ (M = Co, Ni, Cu, respectively) catalysts with pre-optimised metal loading of 10 wt % were prepared via a wet impregnation method and well characterized to corroborate their MAH performance with the properties of metal, support and the M/CeO2−δ catalysts. The results revealed that the metal dispersion on the catalyst declines in the order of Ni/CeO2−δ > Co/CeO2−δ > Cu/CeO2−δ, similar to the apparent activity for maleic anhydride (MA) transformation to succinic anhydride (SA). The hydrogenolysis of SA to γ-butyrolactone (GBL) occurs on Ni/CeO2−δ and Co/CeO2−δ only when the MA → SA transformation completing. The Ni/CeO2−δ displays superior activity and selectivity to Co/CeO2−δ in both MA → SA and SA → GBL reactions, while the Cu/CeO2−δ and CeO2−δ are both inert for SA → GBL hydrogenolysis. The MA hydrogenation to SA follows the first order kinetic law on the Ni/CeO2−δ and Co/CeO2−δ catalysts yet a more complex kinetic characteristics observed on the Cu/CeO2−δ. The distinct catalytic hydrogenation behaviours of the M/CeO2−δ catalysts are assigned to the synergism of dispersion and electronic configuration of the transition metals and oxygen vacancies.