Preparation of 2-propyl heptanol by catalytic hydrogenation of 2-propyl-2-heptenal Original Research Article

Supported Ni-Cr-K catalysts for hydrogenation of 2-propyl-2-heptenal was prepared by impregnation of γ-alumina first with nickel nitrate, then with potassium nitrate and chromium nitrate solution. These Ni-Cr-K/Al2O3 catalysts were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR). The pore size distribution of the catalysts was measured by mercury penetration method. The catalytic hydrogenation of 2-propyl-2-heptenal was carried out in a fixed-bed reactor and the main product was 2-propyl heptanol. It has been shown that the saturated aldehyde was very little in the product under the reaction conditions. Good results were achieved which the conversion of 2-propyl-2-heptenal was more than 99% and the selectivity to 2-propyl heptanol was about 95% under the reaction conditions of 4.0 MPa, 403 K LHSV = 1.0 h−1 and the ratio of H2/2-propyl-2-heptenal (v) = 300.