This work is addressing the selective hydrogenation of alkynols over hybrid catalysts containing Pd-nanoparticles, within newly synthesized hyper-cross-linked polystyrenes (HPS). Alkynols containing C5, C10, and C20 with a terminal triple bond, which are structural analogues or direct semi-products of fragrant substances and fat-soluble vitamins, have been studied. Selective hydrogenation was carried out in a batch mode (ambient hydrogen pressure, at 90 °C, in toluene solvent), using hybrid Pd catalysts with low metal content (less than 0.2 wt.%). The microporous and mesoporous HPS were both synthesized and used as supports in order to address the influence of porosity. Synthesized catalysts were shown to be active and selective: in the case of C5, hydrogenation selectivity to the target product was more than 95%, at close to complete alkynol conversion. Mesoporous catalysts have shown some advantages in hydrogenation of long-chain alkynols.
Keywords: catalyst support porosity; hydrogenation of alkynols; hyper-cross-linked polystyrene; palladium; polymeric catalysts.