Bimolecular condensation reactions of butan-1-ol on Ag–CeO 2 decorated multiwalled carbon nanotubes

CeO2/MWCNTs, Ag/MWCNTs and Ag–CeO2/MWCNTs hybrid composite nanomaterials with 5 wt% active component contents applied as catalysts of dehydrogenation and consecutive bimolecular condensation of a primary alcohol, butan-1-ol, revealed diversified properties. CeO2/MWCNTs showed the catalytic activity of pure cerium oxide despite its much lower content. Products obtained over Ag/MWCNTs did not contain ketone or ester in spite of higher dehydrogenation. Ag–CeO2/MWCNTs showed superior catalytic activity and selectivity towards subsequent C–C coupling, thus significantly higher yield of the symmetrical ketone (heptan-4-one) was achieved (at 400 °C, yield of the ketone over CeO2/MWCNTs and over Ag–CeO2/MWCNTs were 1 and 28%, respectively). The preserved character of the transformations over the CeO2/MWCNTs was shifted by tens of degrees to lower temperatures. It clearly indicates a synergistic interaction between the components.