Catalytic Conversion of Guaiacol Catalyzed by Platinum Supported on Alumina: Reaction Network Including Hydrodeoxygenation Reactions

The conversion of guaiacol catalyzed by Pt/γ-Al2O3 in the presence of H2 was investigated with a flow reactor at 573 K and 140 kPa. Dozens of reaction products were identified, with the most abundant being phenol, catechol, and 3-methylcatechol. The kinetically significant reaction classes were found to be hydrogenolysis [including hydrodeoxygenation (HDO)], hydrogenation, and transalkylation. Selectivity–conversion data were used to determine an approximate quantitative reaction network accounting for the primary products, and a more detailed qualitative network was also inferred. Catalytic HDO was evidenced by the production of anisole and phenol. The HDO selectivity increased with an increasing H2 partial pressure and a decreasing temperature. Products formed by transalkylation reactions match those produced in the conversion catalyzed by HY zeolite, in which no deoxygenated products were observed.