CO HYDROGENATION ON SUPPORTED COBALT CATALYSTS STUDIED BY INSITU FTIR-SPECTROSCOPY

CO hydrogenation on silica and alumina supported Co catalysts has been studied using in situ IR spectroscopy at 473-523 K, 6 bar and H-2/CO= 2. Bands corresponding to linearly adsorbed CO appeared at 2072 cm-1 o n 4.7% Co/SiO2 and 2062 cm-1 on 4.6% Co/gamma-Al2O3, while a pair of b ands at 1996 and 1952 cm-1 is observed on the alumina supported Co cat alyst. Infrared bands in the 3100-2700 cm-1 and 1700-1200 cm-1 regions are attributed to adsorbed hydrocarbons, surface formate and carbonat e species. The variation of the band intensities with time during CO h ydrogenation and subsequent treatment in He or H-2, indicates that the se structures represent reaction products, apparently adsorbed on the support.