Selective hydrogenation of unsaturated carbonyl compounds
AssigneeBASF SE
InventorsMichael Horner, Matthias Irgang
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Abstract
Ruthenium-on-charcoal and ruthenium-on-carbon black catalysts, containing from 0.1 to 5% by weight of iron, for the preparation of olefinically unsaturated alcohols by selective hydrogenation of the corresponding .alpha., .beta.-unsaturated carbonyl compounds in the liquid phase are prepared by modifying the catalyst with iron only after it has been impregnated with the ruthenium compound, and reducing the catalyst with hydrogen at from 400.degree. to 600.degree. C., with thorough mixing. The catalysts according to the invention are particularly useful for improving the industrially difficult hydrogenation of citral to give the soughtafter fragrances geraniol and nerol.
Claims4
A process for hydrogenating .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated carbonyl compounds to obtain the corresponding .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated alcohols in liquid phase with hydrogen in the presence of a tertiary amine and in the presence of a ruthenium-on-charcoal or ruthenium-on-carbon black catalyst prepared by a process comprising:
- a. impregnating charcoal or carbon black catalyst with a ruthenium compound;
- b. modifying the ruthenium-impregnated catalyst in the dried state by mixing the powder with an iron compound;
- and
- c. reducing the iron impregnated catalyst with hydrogen with thorough mixing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.