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Hydrogenolysis of Dimethyl Maleate on Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 Catalysts
Author(s) -
Mokhtar M.,
Ohlinger C.,
Schlander J. H.,
Turek T.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
chemical engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-4125
pISSN - 0930-7516
DOI - 10.1002/1521-4125(200104)24:4<423::aid-ceat423>3.0.co;2-g
Subject(s) - hydrogenolysis , catalysis , copper , methanol , chemistry , tetrahydrofuran , molar ratio , inorganic chemistry , nuclear chemistry , organic chemistry , solvent
The gas‐phase hydrogenolysis of dimethyl maleate at 10 bar and 513 K was investigated over a series of co‐precipitated Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts. High copper surface areas were obtained with a molar Al content of 5 % in the catalysts. Upon variation of composition at fixed alumina content, copper surface areas increased until the molar ratio exceeded Cu/Zn = 2:1. At the given reaction conditions, dimethyl maleate was completely converted to dimethyl succinate, which further reacted to methanol, γ‐butyrolactone, tetrahydrofuran, and water over all catalysts. Initial deactivation of catalysts was mainly caused by a loss of copper surface area. The catalyst with a molar Cu/Zn ratio of 1:2 was found to be most active and stable under reaction conditions.