Hydrogenation of benzene and toluene over supported rhodium and rhodium-gold catalysts

Abstract

Rhodium and rhodium-gold catalysts supported on amorphous aluminosilicates (ASA), titanium dioxide (rutile, TiO2) was prepared in two different ways: absorption and colloidal method. The catalysts were characterized by an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray 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 higher activity and selectivity in benzene hydrogenation reaction, the same catalyst prepared by the colloidal method demonstrated lower selectivity.