Eugenol Hydrodeoxygenation Over Mixed Mo-W Carbides

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Transition metal modification of molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) catalysts is crucial for improving hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of lignin derivatives.
• Cobalt (Co) and Nickel (Ni) are commonly used for hydrogenation, but tungsten (W) offers unique selectivity benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of tungsten (W) addition to molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) catalysts on the hydrodeoxygenation of lignin derivatives.
• To understand how mixed metal carbides influence catalyst performance and selectivity.

Main Methods:

• Catalyst synthesis involving the modification of Mo2C with W.
• Testing catalyst performance in the hydrodeoxygenation of eugenol, a lignin derivative.
• Analysis of reaction products to determine selectivity and conversion.

Main Results:

• Tungsten addition to Mo2C restricted ring hydrogenation while promoting deoxygenation of oxygenated compounds.
• The coexistence of Mo2C, W2C, and metallic W altered Mo2C's electronic properties, increasing active site density.
• Achieved up to 83% propyl-benzene selectivity at near 100% eugenol conversion.

Conclusions:

• Mixed metal carbide phases significantly impact catalyst performance in HDO.
• Tungsten-modified Mo2C catalysts show promise for selective production of non-oxygenated aromatic compounds from lignin.
• Findings provide insights for optimizing catalyst design for lignin depolymerization product processing.