Enhanced catalytic stability of Cu-based catalyst for dimethyl oxalate hydrogenation

Using mesoporous silica with different structures and morphologies as support, a series of copper-based catalysts was prepared for dimethyl oxalate (DMO) hydrogenation to ethylene glycol (EG). The results showed that the structure and morphology of supports had a significant effect on the catalytic stability of Cu-based catalysts. The Cu-based catalyst prepared by using MS-3 with hexagonal prism-like structure as support, exhibited excellent catalytic activity and enhanced stability (DMO conversion of ∼100%, EG selectivity up to 98%, and stability over 400 h). The enhanced catalytic performance of Cu/MS-3 catalyst could be attributed to the strong interaction between copper species and MS-3 support. MS-3 with narrowed pore size and larger specific surface area was not only beneficial to the dispersion and limitation of Cu nanoparticles, but also conducive to the formation of copper phyllosilicate structures from the copper ammonia complex and the silicon support, which provides a large number of stable active copper species. These attributes collectively promote the catalytic stability of Cu-based catalyst for DMO hydrogenation.