Effect of Chlorine on the Properties of Ru/Al₂O₃

Abstract

Ru/Al2O3 catalysts with different chlorine contents were prepared using RuCl3 as the precursor. Different HCl concentrations in the impregnation solution or different treatments after impregnation were used. The catalysts were characterized by temperature-programmed reduction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and hydrogen chemisorption. They were tested in the selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene in a stirred tank reactor at 373 K and 3 MPa hydrogen pressure. It was found that different electronic states of Ru appear according to the chlorine content on Ru/Al2O3. The electronic state of Ru influences the selectivity to cyclohexene. The results seem to support that the most electron-deficient Ru species may adsorb cyclohexene more weakly. When cyclohexene is more weakly adsorbed, it could be more easily desorbed by avoiding its further hydrogenation to cyclohexane, thus increasing selectivity.