Crotonaldehyde hydrogenation on Rh supported catalysts

The vapor-phase hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde on Rh supported catalysts h as been studied, The effect of some variables of preparation in catalysts p repared by the sol-gel and impregnation methods on the surface and catalyti c properties were analyzed. It was found, that the porosity of the support has a small effect on the selectivity to the unsaturated alcohol and the pr esence of partially reducible supports such as ZrO2 and TiO2, may increase the selectivity to crotyl alcohol via an enhancement of the polarization of the C=O bond as a result of surface decoration of the metal component. The presence of chlorine ions in the metal-support interfacial region, also al lows, in a certain extension, a polarization of the carbonyl bond.