Reverse water gas shift reaction using supported ionic liquid phase catalysts

Abstract The reverse water–gas shift reaction (RWGSR) using a supported ionic liquid-phase (SILP) catalyst consisting of Ru catalyst, ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C 4 mim]Cl)), and porous silica gel support, was investigated. The catalytic activity of the SILP catalyst toward RWGSR strongly depends on the kind of Ru catalyst and amount of IL. Among the three kinds of Ru catalysts ([RuCl 2 (CO) 3 ] 2 , Ru 3 (CO) 12 , and RuCl 3 ), [RuCl 2 (CO) 3 ] 2 exhibits the best catalytic activity. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) analyses of the SILP catalyst based on [RuCl 2 (CO) 3 ] 2 and [C 4 mim]Cl revealed that both the solvation of the active catalytic Ru species and the surface area of the ionic liquid phase strongly affect catalytic activity. Hence, these factors help to determine the optimum amount of [C 4 mim]Cl in the SILP catalyst. The resulting SILP catalyst, with an optimum constitution, exhibited greater catalytic activity than the homogeneous system in which the same amounts of [RuCl 2 (CO) 3 ] 2 and [C 4 mim]Cl were employed. Catalytically active Ru species during RWGSR in both systems were investigated by means of electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Interestingly, the rate-determining step in the two systems was different, implying that the silica support lowers the activation energy of the protonation reaction in the catalytic cycle. Therefore, the facilitation of the RWGSR by a SILP catalyst system can be realized by good mass transport, derived from the large surface area, as well as the effect of the silica support on activation energy. Furthermore, 20 cycles of the RWGSR using the SILP catalyst were accomplished.