Conversion of 5-Methyl-3-Heptanone to C 8 Alkenes and Alkane over Bifunctional Catalysts

A one-step catalytic process was used to catalyze the hydrodeoxygenation of 5-methyl-3-heptanone (C8 ketone) to a mixture of 5-methyl-3-heptene, 5-methyl-2-heptene (C8 alkenes), and 3-methyl heptane (C8 alkane). High conversion of C8 ketone to the desired products was achieved over a single bed of a supported catalyst (bifunctional heterogeneous catalyst) consisting of one transition metal (copper (Cu) or platinum (Pt)) loaded on alumina (Al2O3) under mild operating conditions (reaction temperatures were varied between 180 °C to 260 °C, and the pressure was 1 atm). The C8 ketone was hydrogenated to 5-methyl-3-heptanol (C8 alcohol) over metal sites, followed by dehydration of the latter on acid sites on the support to obtain a mixture of C8 alkenes. These C8 alkenes can be further hydrogenated on metal sites to make a C8 alkane. The results showed that the main products over copper loaded on alumina (20 wt% Cu–Al2O3) were a mixture of C8 alkenes and C8 alkane in different amounts depending on the operating conditions (the highest selectivity for C8 alkenes (~82%) was obtained at 220 °C and a H2/C8 ketone molar ratio of 2). However, over platinum supported on alumina (1 wt% Pt–Al2O3), the major product was a C8 alkane with a selectivity up to 97% and a conversion of 99.9% at different temperatures and all H2/C8 ketone ratios.