Outstanding performances of magnesia-supported platinum-tin catalysts for citral selective hydrogenation

Magnesia-supported Sn-Pt catalysts were prepared by reaction between prefor med platinum metal particles and Sn(n-C4H9)(4). HRTEM and H-2-chemisorption data confirm the synthesis of very small tin-decorated platinum particles (similar to 1.0 nm mean diameter), Preliminary studies on catalytic hydroge nation of citral in a trickle-bed reactor reveal that 97% selectivity to un saturated alcohols at 100% conversion can be easily achieved. The electroni c ligand effect produced by the basic support is supposed to be fundamental to enhance the selectivity to unsaturated alcohols and to stabilise the bi metallic particles, (C) 1999 Academic Press.