The conversion of 1,8-cineole sourced from renewable Eucalyptus oil to p-cymene over a palladium doped γ-Al2O3 catalyst

The conversion of 1,8-cineole, sourced from the steam distillation of Eucalyptus waste, to p-cymene has been studied. Both alumina and palladium on alumina have been found to be active catalysts, the latter producing p-cymene in near quantitative conversion. Catalyst testing coupled with catalyst characterisation showed the catalysts to be multifunctional, promoting dehydration, dehydrogenation and isomerisation in a one step process.