Organic Compound Modified Cu‐based Catalysts for the Hydrogenation of Esters

Cu/SiO2 catalysts are widely applied to the hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate and ethylene carbonate to the corresponding ethylene glycol and methanol simultaneously, while ethylene glycol and methanol are important bulk commodities and raw materials for the production of oxygen‐containing chemicals and fuels. However, Cu particles usually aggregate or sinter to deactivate and the ratio of surface Cu0/Cu+ species is also difficult to control under the reaction conditions, so that the catalyst activity and stability is still a big challenge. It was found that modification of Cu‐based catalysts with some organic compounds inhibited the agglomeration of Cu particles, regulated the ratio of surface Cu0/Cu+ species, and even generated a carbon layer to protect the Cu particles, which definitely improved the stability of the catalyst along with the enhanced catalytic performance. In this review, recent developments in ester hydrogenation over organic compounds‐modified Cu/SiO2 catalysts were summarized and the issues to be further clarified are discussed as well.