Hydrogenation of Dibenzo-18-Crown-6 Ether Using γ-Al2O3 Supported Ru-Pd and Ru-Ni Bimetallic Nanoalloy Catalysts.

Ruthenium-palladium (Ru-Pd) and ruthenium-nickel (Ru-Ni) bimetallic nanoalloy particles with various metal compositions were synthesized by microwave irradiated (MWI) solvothermal technique using PVP (poly-N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) as capping agent and ethylene glycol as a solvent as well as reducing agent. Synthesized bimetallic nanoalloy particles were subsequently impregenated onto γ-Al2O3 support to obtain supported nanoalloy catalysts. Agglomeration of nanoalloyparticles were restricted by using excess solvent during synthesis, then distilled and recovered after completion of reaction. Hydrogenation of Dibenzo-18-crown-6 ether (DB18C6) was carried out at 9 MPa, 120°C and 3.5 h using synthesized bimetallic nanoalloy catalysts. It was observed that bimetallic nanolloycatalyst synthesized by MWI using Ru:Pd 3:1 % (w/w), exhibited higher catalytic activity and resulted 98.9 % conversion of DB18C6 with 100 % selectivity towards cis-syn-cis dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 ether (CSC DCH18C6). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]