Ruthenium Catalysts on ZSM-5/MCM-41 Micro-Mesoporous Support for Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol in the Presence of Water

A ruthenium-containing catalyst on ZSM-5/MCM-41 micro-mesoporous aluminosilicate support was synthesized. The micro-mesoporous support and supported catalyst were characterized by low-temperature nitrogen desorption/adsorption, temperature-programmed ammonia desorption, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, temperature-programmed reduction with hydrogen, and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis. Ru/ZSM-5/MCM-41 has high specific surface area (392 m 2 g −1 ) and high acidity (1087 µmol g −1 ); the mean ruthenium particle size is 1.7 nm. The catalyst was studied in hydrodeoxygenation of a modelbio-oil compound, guaiacol, in the presence of water at a hydrogen pressure of 5 MPa and temperatures in the interval 130–290°C. The catalyst obtained exhibits high activity in guaiacol hydrodeoxygenation: The conversion was 90%, and the selectivity with respect to cycloalkanes was 64% in 3-h reaction performed at a hydrogen pressure of 5 MPa and a temperature of 230°C.