Catalyst formulation for hydrogenation

A method of screening catalysts for liquid-phase selective hydrogenation comprising:

• preparing a test catalyst by adding a promoter selected from the group consisting of Group IB metals, Group IIB metals, Group IIIA metals, Group VIIB metals, and combinations thereof, to a reference catalyst comprising a supported Group VIII metal catalyst precursor;
• preparing a liquid reactant stream comprising between 1 wt-% and 10 wt-% C2H2 dissolved in n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone;
• testing the test catalyst and the reference catalyst by contacting the reactant stream and an approximately 2:1 H2:CO gas mixture in continuous flow with the test catalyst and reference catalyst, respectively, at a feed ratio of H2:C2H2 of from about 1:1 to about 4:1 at selective hydrogenation reaction conditions to produce a product stream,
• condensing substantially all of the n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone from the product stream;
• measuring the concentrations of products comprising C2H2, C2H4, and C2H6 in the product stream at steady state;
• determining performance parameters for the test catalyst and the reference catalyst comprising the respective C2H2 conversion Sc and C2H4 selectivity relative to C2H6 Ss;
• comparing the test catalyst performance parameters to those for the reference catalyst.

A method of making a promoted catalyst for selective hydrogenation comprising:

• impregnating a carrier by incipient wetness impregnation with an aqueous solution of a promoter selected from the group consisting of Group IB metals, Group IIB metals, Group IIIA metals, Group VIIB metals, and combinations thereof, in a concentration sufficient to deposit the promoter on the carrier in a finished concentration of from about 0.05 wt-% to about 1.0 wt-%;
• drying the product of the impregnation for about one hour at about 150° C.;
• calcining the dried product at about 300° C.;
• reducing the calcined product for 1-2 hours at a temperature in the range of from about 100° C. to about 425° C. in an atmosphere consisting of an approximately 2:1 mixture of H2:CO at a pressure of from about 150 psig to about 250 psig.