Selective deoxygenation of carboxylic acids to BTXs over Cu/β-zeolite prepared by ethylene glycol-assisted impregnation

In this work, the selective conversion of hexanoic acid to hydrocarbons using Cu/β-zeolite-EG prepared by the ethylene glycol (EG) assisted impregnation method was investigated. It was found that Cu/β-zeolite-EG shows higher selectivity towards benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTXs) as well as higher resistance to coke deposition when compared to Cu/β-zeolite prepared by a conventional impregnation method. This should be attributed to the better dispersion and stronger interaction between the active Cu species and the β-zeolite surface in the Cu/β-zeolite-EG solid. This catalytic system shows potential practical application in the upgrading of bio-oil.