Effect of Catalyst Preparation on the Selective Hydrogenation of Biphenol over Pd/C Catalysts

The effects of catalyst preparation on the reaction route and the mechanism of biphenol (BP) hydrogenation, which consists of a long series-reaction, were studied. Pd/C catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness method and precipitation and deposition method. The reaction behaviors of the prepared catalysts and a commercial catalyst along with the final product distributions were very different. The choice of the catalyst preparation conditions during precipitation and deposition including the temperature, pH, precursor addition rate, and reducing agent also had significant effects. The reaction behaviors of the catalysts were interpreted in terms of catalyst particle size, metal distribution, and support acidities.