Hydrogenation of 2-Butyne-1,4-diol Using Novel Bio-Palladium Catalysts

Palladium catalyst samples were prepared upon bacterial biomass supports (Gram-positive A. oxidans and Gram-negative R. capsulatus) and tested in the partial hydrogenation of 2-butyne-1,4-diol to 2-butene-1,4-diol. The objectives of the study were to assess the effects of operating conditions in the stirred autoclave upon the reaction conversion and selectivity and to compare the biologically supported palladium (BioPd) catalyst performance with that of a conventionally supported catalyst. Variables investigated included solvent, stirring speed, and catalyst metal loading. A maximum selectivity toward 2-butene-1,4-diol of 0.98 was observed in a solvent composed of 5% isopropyl alcohol (2-propanol) in water at a conversion of 75% 2-butyne-1,4-diol for the Pd/A. oxidans catalyst. The Pd/R.capsulatas catalyst showed a maximum selectivity of 1.0 at a conversion of 62.6%. Concentration profiles of the different hydrogenation products were fitted using a Langmuir−Hinshelwood expression, which showed a higher fi...