Thiotolerant Ir/SiO2–Al2O3 bifunctional catalysts: Effect of metal–acid site balance on tetralin hydroconversion

The hydroconversion of tetralin over iridium nanoparticles supported on amorphous silica–alumina (ASA) has been investigated in a continuous high-pressure gas-phase micro-reactor in the presence of H2S. In order to tune the Ir particle size, the bifunctional Ir/ASA catalysts have been submitted to sintering treatments. The samples have been characterized by HRTEM and XPS. From careful analysis of tetralin conversion products by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC–MS) and NMR, compound families have been unambiguously distinguished. Hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, (saturated and aromatic) ring-contraction products, and (saturated and aromatic) one-ring-opening products are formed, without significant cracking. The catalysts exhibit stable activity in the presence of sulfur. As the mean particle size increases from 1.5 to 8 nm, the ring-opening/contraction selectivity increases dramatically. This effect is related to an increase of the acid/metal site ratio.