Ethyl Acetate Hydrogenation over Coprecipitation Prepared Cu-Zn/SiO2 Bull. Korean Chem. Soc. 2014, Vol. 35, No.

. 35, No. 1 141

http://dx.doi.org/10.5012/bkcs.2014.35.1.141

Hydrogenation of Ethyl Acetate to Ethanol over Bimetallic Cu-Zn/SiO2

Catalysts Prepared by Means of Coprecipitation
Ying-ming Zhu and Xin Wang Li Shi*

The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
*
E-mail: [email protected]
Received September 9, 2013, Accepted October 15, 2013

A series of bimetallic Cu-Zn/SiO2 catalysts were prepared via thermal decomposition of the as-synthesized
CuZn(OH)4(H2SiO3)2·nH2O hydroxides precursors. This highly dispersed Cu-solid base catalyst is extremely
effective for hydrogenation of ethyl acetate to ethanol. The reduction and oxidation features of the precursors
prepared by coprecipitation method and catalysts were extensively investigated by TGA, XRD, TPR and N2-
adsorption techniques. Catalytic activity by ethyl acetate hydrogenation of reaction temperatures between 120
and 300 oC, different catalyst calcination and reduction temperatures, different Cu/Zn loadings have been
examined extensively. The relation between the performance for hydrogenation of ethyl acetate and the
structure of the Cu-solid base catalysts with Zn loading were discussed. The detected conversion of ethyl
acetate reached 81.6% with a 93.8% selectivity of ethanol. This investigation of the Cu-Zn/SiO2 catalyst
provides a recently proposed pathway for ethyl acetate hydrogenation reaction to produce ethanol over Cu-
solid base catalysts.
Key Words : Cu-Zn/SiO2, Hydrogenation, Ethyl acetate, Ethanol

Introduction Highly dispersed Cu catalysts show good activity and

selectivity in a series of catalytic hydrogenation reactions
Recently, there is an increasing interesting on using ethanol- that are employed to selectively convert C=O groups13 hydro-
gasoline as an alternative fuel.1-3 As a fuel for spark-ignition genation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol containing other
engines, ethanol has some advantages over gasoline, such as functional groups, such as C-OH bonds.14,15 In addition, high-
better anti-knock characteristics and the reduction of CO and ly dispersed copper catalysts are used to reduce carboxylic
UHC emissions.4,5 Although alcohol has these advantages, acid groups (-COOH) to produce alcoholic functionalities
due to limitations in the technology, economic and regional (-COH), e.g. in the reduction of lactic acid to 1,2-propane
considerations, still it can’t be used extensively. diol.16
Ethyl acetate (EA), as the downstream product of the As early as in 1931, Folkers and Adkins17 first described
acetic acid, is widely used both as a versatile solvent and as a the reaction that Catalytic hydrogenation of esters to two
raw material for organic synthesis. Besides the classical alcohols using copper-chromium catalyst [Eq. (1)],
Fischer esterification process, the Tishchenko process6 and
R1COOR2+2H2  R1CH2OH+R2OH (1)
addition of acetic acid to ethylene using clay and heteropoly
acid7-9 as a catalyst have been recently commercialized in where R1 represents an alkyl group and R2 represents another
Germany and Japan to produce EA. Studies of Cu/Zn/Al alkyl group or hydrogen. Since Copper containing catalysts
catalysts in ethanol dehydrogenative process to ethyl acetate allow for selective hydrogenation of ester group (-COO-)
have been focused on in recent years while ethanol is first and are relatively inactive in C-C bond hydrogenation, they
dehydrogenated to acetaldehyde and then reacts with another are suitable for hydrogenation of esters to alcohols. Copper
ethanol or ethoxide species to form a hemiacetal, which is without additives is usually not active, sinter-resistant and
then dehydrogenated to ethyl acetate.10-12 A very promising mechanically stable enough for industrial operation. The
alternative to the established processes is the single stage additive chromium in Cu catalysts was frequently used for
hydrogenation of ethyl acetate since ethyl acetate can be fatty ester hydrogenation.18-20 However, The use of chromium
produced at lower cost and on a large scale by new process, poses environmental problems since process water contain-
such as acetaldehyde condensation or ethylene and acid ing highvalence chrome (Cr5+, Cr6+) are generated during
addition now. Processes which include the hydrogenation of catalyst manufacture and regeneration. Research is therefore
ethyl acetate have been proposed for the manufacture of focused on the development of chromium-free catalysts for
basic chemicals (ethanol). Furthermore, there has been con- the hydrogenation of esters. Moreover, the addition of other
tinuous interest over the past decades in replacing the exist- metal oxide, such as ZrO2, Fe2O3 or ZnO21-25 has been exten-
ing, energy-intensive processes for the production of ethanol sively investigated to promote the activity of Cu in ester
by more cost-effective routes involving ethyl acetate hydro- hydrogenation reaction.
genation. For ester hydrogenation, few open literatures have focused
142 Bull. Korean Chem. Soc. 2014, Vol. 35, No. 1 Ying-ming Zhu and Xin Wang Li Shi

on the study of catalysts for ethyl acetate hydrogenation to a constant pressure. The isotherms could be used to calculate
alcohol [Eq. (2)]. In literatures studied on hydrogenation of the specific surface area (S), micro pore volume (Vmic), total
aliphatic esters, the conversion of ethyl acetate was 40% pore volume (Vt), average micro pore size (Lmic).
while ethanol selectivity was 80%.26,27 X-ray Diffraction: X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique
was used to characterize the crystal structure. The experiments
CH3COOC2H5+2H2  2C2H5OH (2)
were performed using a Siemens D500 diffractometer, using
In our work, we studied the selective hydrogenation of EA Cu K radiation (40 kV, 100 mA) and equipped with a
to ethanol on Cu-Zn/SiO2 Catalysts using continuous fixed- graphite monochromator with a reflected beam. The powder
bed reactor in mild reaction conditions. Catalysts with differ- diffraction patterns were recorded in the 2 range from 10°
ent Cu/Zn Molar ratios supported on silica were synthesized to 80°. An X-ray chamber-reactor was used for the high-
and tested for reaction system. These catalysts were charac- temperature registration of the spectra. Preceding the experi-
terized by N2-adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermo- ments, 100mg catalysts of different calcination temperatures
gravimetric (TG), temperature-programmed reduction with were prepared.
H2 (H2-TPR). Over the most-active catalyst, a systematic Temperature-Programmed Reduction: Temperature pro-
study of the hydrogenation reaction, including the influence grammed reduction (TPR) of H2 was carried out on Auto
of reduction temperature and reaction temperature, was Chem 2910 (Micromeritics) instrument to study the reduci-
carried out. Moreover, the effects of catalysts calcination bility of Cu-Zn/SiO2 catalysts. In a typical experiment, 0.05
temperature have been investigated. The main aim of this g of calcined catalyst was exposed to a reducing gas
article is to determine the Cu-Zn/SiO2 Catalysts activity on consisting of 5.0 vol % H2 in argon with a temperature ramp
ethyl acetate hydrogenation. From these results, an expla- from ambient temperature to 900 oC at a heating rate of
nation was formulated for the catalysts structure and the role 10 oC/min.
Zn on affecting the activity of Cu-Zn/SiO2 catalysts. Thermo-gravimetric Analysis: Thermo-gravimetric (TG)
curves were obtained using a TA Instruments thermal analy-
Experimental zer. The samples were subjected to increased temperature,
up to 700 oC, at a rate of 10 oC/min, while the nitrogen flow
Catalyst Preparation. Hydrogenation components Cu- rate was held constant at 100 mL/min.
Zn/SiO2 (Cu/Zn molar ratio = 3:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3) were Catalytic Test: The reaction was performed in a fixed-bed
prepared by a new coprecipitation method. In a round reactor (Figure 1) operated in the down flow mode at a
bottom flask with distilled water, Na2SiO3·9H2O dissolved pressure of 2 MPa. The reaction temperature was measured
with stirring. To an aqueous solution containing appropriates with a thermocouple that was in contact with the catalyst
amount of Cu(NO3)2·5H2O, Zn(NO3)2·4H2O (all chemicals bed. The organic-feed consisted of EA (100%) and was fed
were purchased from Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., into the reactor using a micro-syringe pump. For each experi-
Ltd.) added and dissolved at room temperature. The copper- ment, 1.35 g of unreduced catalyst (20-40 mesh) was loaded
zinc nitrate solution was added dropwise to the vigorously into the flow reactor. The catalyst was reduced in situ at
stirred solution of sodium silicate over a period of 1 h. atmospheric pressure with H2 (flow rate of 30 cm3/min) in
During the precipitation of the stirrer speed increased different temperature for 2 h. The products were analyzed
continuously. using an Agilent 6890N gas chromatograph (flame ionization
After completion of the precipitation, the suspension was detector, HP-5 column, 30 m × 5 mm × 0.25 m) and con-
stirred for five minutes, filtered and washed three times with firmed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS).
350 mL of distilled water. The drying of the filter cake is
carried out under atmospheric pressure at a temperature of
20 oC for 12 h. The filter cake was prepared via the kneading
method. All the catalysts were carried out under atmospheric
pressure at a temperature of 120 oC for 12 h. These materials
are indicated in the following as CuxZnySix+y (x=4, y=0; x=3,
y=1; x=2, y=1; x=2, y=2; x=1, y=2; x=1, y=3) while the
Subscripts represent different Cu/Zn/Si molar ratios. Different
calcination temperatures for the same time (5 h) in air were
applied to the catalysts, in order to determine the influence
of different calcination temperatures in EA hydrogenation.
Before hydrogenation£¨the catalysts were reduced under
pressure at 1 MPa of different temperatures.
Characterization of Catalyst. Figure 1. Fixed-bed Reaction System. 1-H2; 2-N2; 3-Reducing
Valve; 4-Valve; 5-Mass Flow Meter; 6-Triple Valve; 7-Pressure
N2-adsorption: Nitrogen isotherms were measured at
Gauge; 8-Reactor; 9-Heater; 10-Thermocouple; 11-Temperature
196 oC with an ASAP 2020 (Micromeritrics). Before experi- Controller; 12-Condenser; 13-Gas-Liquid Seperator; 14-Back
ment, the samples were heated at 120 oC and outgassed Pressure Valve; 15-Gas Washing Bottle; 16- Microsyringe Pump;
overnight at this temperature under a vacuum of 105 Torrto 17-Raw Materials.
Ethyl Acetate Hydrogenation over Coprecipitation Prepared Cu-Zn/SiO2 Bull. Korean Chem. Soc. 2014, Vol. 35, No. 1 143

Figure 3. TGA curves of Cu4Zn0Si4 and Cu2Zn2Si4.

Figure 2. N2-adsorption isotherms at 196 oC of Cu4Zn0Si4,
Cu3Zn1Si4, Cu4Zn0Si4 and Cu1Zn3Si4.

Results and Discussion

Characterization of Pore Structure of Catalysts. Nitro-

gen adsorption-desorption isotherms of calcined (calcination
temperature = 200 oC) Cu4Zn0Si4, Cu3Zn1Si4, Cu2Zn2Si4 and
Cu1Zn3Si4 are shown in Figure 2. All of them are type IV
pattern according to the IUPAC classification.28 The closure
points of hysteresis loops of Cu4Zn0Si4 and Cu3Zn1Si4 located
at a relative pressure of 0.6 and Cu1Zn3Si4 located at 0.4.
However, the hysteresis loops of Cu2Zn2Si4 closed at 0.8,
which suggested that the pore diameter increased with the
amount of added Zn and reached highest when Cu/Zn molar
ratio is 1:1. The calculated pore diameter of Cu4Zn0Si4,
Cu3Zn1Si4, Cu4Zn0Si4 and Cu1Zn3Si4 were 3.59 nm, 3.75 nm, Figure 4. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of reduced Cu2Zn2Si4
4.10 nm and 3.43 nm, respectively. The calculated BET (calcined in air of different temperatures for 5 h) samples. The
surface area of these catalysts decreased continuously from catalysts were reduced under pressure at 1 MPa of 300 oC.
282.29 m2/g (Cu4Zn0Si4) to 91.61 m2/g (Cu1Zn3Si4) with
amount of added Zn (Table 1). These increases in pore
diameter and decreases surface area could also be ascribed to water in interlayer. Profile of 3(b) indicates three major
that the orderliness of hydrotalcite-like CuZn(OH)4(H2SiO3)2 weight losses at around 50-80 oC, 80-150 oC and 150-300
o
·nH2O precursors declined with added Zn (see Figures 4 C. Temperature from 80-300 oC can be identified as external
and 5). surfaces and H-bound water in Cu and Zn interlayer.29
TGA. Figure 3 shows the DTG profiles of as synthesized The overall weight loss of Cu4Zn0Si4 and Cu2Zn2Si4 from
Cu4Zn0Si4 and Cu2Zn2Si4. TG profile of 3(a) indicates two 30 oC to 550 oC is 36% and 35%, which was conformed with
major weight losses at around 50-150 oC and 180-250 oC, the formula of as-synthesize Cu(OH)2H2SiO3·nH2O and
which can be identified as the losses of adsorbed surface CuZn(OH)2(H2SiO3)2·nH2O.
water bound to gallery or external surfaces and H-bound XRD Analysis. The XRD analysis in Figures 4 and Figure
5 was carried out in order to identify the mineralogical
Table 1. The structure of the calcined catalysts and Cu crystallite structure of the Cu-Zn/SiO2 catalysts. The existence of
size in reduced catalysts diffraction reflections in the angle region indicates that
Structure
samples had ordered structure on the micro pore scale. XRD
Cu crystallite patterns (see Figure 4 and 5) of all reduced samples showed
Catalyst Pore volumea Pore sizea SBETa
size (nm) characteristic reflections at 2 = 43.30-50.44°, and 74.10°,
(cm3/g) (nm) (m2/g)
which indicates that the active component studied in this
Cu4Zn0Si4 23.7 0.377 3.59 282.29 work is copper (Cu). The dramatic increase in peak intensity
Cu3Zn1Si4 20.8 0.313 3.75 140.62 may reflect the growth in crystal size and induce of active
Cu2Zn2Si4 15.4 0.252 4.10 96.66 phase dispersion. It has been reported by van der Grift et
Cu1Zn3Si4 27.4 0.274 3.43 91.61 al..30,31 After reduction, the characteristic structure of
a
Calculated based on desorption branch of isotherm. ZnO·SiO2 still remained in Cu2Zn2Si4, whereas CuO was
144 Bull. Korean Chem. Soc. 2014, Vol. 35, No. 1 Ying-ming Zhu and Xin Wang Li Shi

Figure 5. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of reduced Cu4Zn0Si4, Figure 6. Temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) profiles of
Cu3Zn1Si4, Cu2Zn1Si3, Cu2Zn2Si4, Cu1Zn2Si3 and Cu1Zn3Si4 calcined Cu4Zn0Si4 and Cu2Zn2Si4 (calcined in air at 200 oC for 5
(calcined in air at 200 oC for 5 h). The catalysts were reduced h) catalysts.
under pressure at 1 MPa of 300 oC.
ture in Cu4Zn0Si4 and Cu2Zn2Si4 remained after calcination
reduced. The XRD Peaks at 2 = 50.44°, and 74.10° for Cu and no separated ZnO could be detected. XRD results
species were more visible when calcination temperature was (Figures 4 and 5) show the presence of only metallic copper
increasing, which clearly shows that the crystal size of Cu after the reduction of catalysts at 300 oC and it well conform
increased with the increasing calcination temperatures.32 to the TPR results. In this suggestion, homogenously dis-
The crystallite size was calculated using Scherrer's equation: persed copper could be prepared via the reduced catalysts.
D = 0.9 /( cos ), where A is the x-ray wavelength (0.154 Effect of Cu/Zn Molar Ratio on the Catalyst. Cu-Zn/
nm) and  is the line broadening. The diameters of Cu SiO2 catalysts with different compositions of Cu, Zn molar
crystals of reduced Cu2Zn2Si4 in temperature of 200 oC, ratios were tested in the hydrogenation of EA. As shown in
300 oC and 600 oC were calculated as 20 nm, 26 nm and 32 Figure 7, Cu/Si catalysts, Cu4Zn0Si4, represented the much
nm. In Figure 5, XRD patterns of catalysts with different Cu/ lower conversions of 41.0%, respectively, while Cu-Zn/SiO2
Zn molar ratios were showed. These characteristic diffrac- catalysts showing conversions higher than 70%. This implies
tion lines of cubic Cu crystals became prominent when that the presence of ZnO in Cu based catalysts affects the
without Zn additives, demonstrating that the Cu particles activity of surface Cu, known as a catalytically active site for
were small and well-dispersed at the loading of Zn. With the EA hydrogenation.19,27 It was additionally observed that the
increasing loading of Zn, the crystallite size of Cu changed. extents of rise in EA conversion depended on the Cu/Zn
The diameters of Cu crystals of reduced Cu4Zn0Si4, molar ratio. This finding was evidenced by the result that the
Cu3Zn1Si4, Cu2Zn1Si3, Cu2Zn2Si4, Cu1Zn2Si3 and Cu1Zn3Si4 catalysts with Cu/Zn molar ratio of 1:1 showed the extent of
at 200 oC were 31 nm, 30 nm, 22 nm, 20 nm, 24 nm and 27
nm. When Cu/Zn ratio was 1:1, the Cu particles were
smallest. The results indicate that Cu species would be better
stabilized and dispersed when Cu/Zn ratio was 1:1 in the
silica support. Cu in Cu2Zn2Si4 catalyst that became repre-
sentative crystal structure could be ascribed to partially loss
of structure water in the gallery of catalysts during calci-
nation, as shown in TGA.
H2-TPR. Figure 6 shows the H2-TPR profiles of calcined
Cu4Zn0Si4 and Cu2Zn2Si4. Only one broader peak from 150
to 250 oC was detected in Cu2Zn2Si4. This hydrogen con-
sumption could be designated to the reduction of Cu2+ ions
existed on outside surface of lamellar and in lamellar
structure of Cu2Zn2Si4.15 The reduction temperature is higher
than that of Cu4Zn0Si4 that prepared without Zn, which
indicated that Cu species in Cu2Zn2Si4 catalyst pre-treated
with Zn loadings is more stable. The reduction of 0.25- Figure 7. Hydrogenation of EA over Cu-Zn/SiO2 catalysts of
different Cu/Zn molar ratios; Conditions: catalysts calcination
CuZnAl catalyst with long tail (within 300 and 900 oC) is temperature = 300 oC, reduction temperature = 300 oC, reaction
characteristic for the ZnO species on the solid surface.33 The temperature = 250 oC, WHSV (weight hourly space velocity) = 2 h1
XRD result in Figure 3 confirmed that characteristic struc- EA, H2 flow = 60 mL/min.
Ethyl Acetate Hydrogenation over Coprecipitation Prepared Cu-Zn/SiO2 Bull. Korean Chem. Soc. 2014, Vol. 35, No. 1 145

rise in EA conversion. From the XRD result (Figure 5), may relate to chemical equilibrium since adsorption is also
catalyst with Cu/Zn ratio =1:1 has the smallest Cu particles, an exothermic phenomenon. It is clear that ethyl acetate is
so Cu species would be better stabilized and dispersed when the thermodynamically favored product at low temperatures
Cu/Zn ratio was 1:1 in the silica support. Therefore, it is and that higher temperatures favor the ethanol, the reaction
obvious that the Cu/Zn ratio plays a crucial role in the temperature is typically higher than 200 oC. However, reac-
activity of Cu-Zn/SiO2 catalyst in the EA hydrogenation tion temperature higher then 300 oC may be further connect-
reaction, even though surface Cu is the active site. ed in series side effects, reducing the ethanol selectivity. It is
Effects of Reaction Temperature on the Cu2Zn2Si4 apparent from the results that the desired product selectivity
Cata=lyst. Reactions were carried out at 150-300 oC (Figure can be obtained by controlling the change of temperature.
8). Temperature was critical in obtaining the desired ethanol Effects of Calcination Temperature on the Cu2Zn2Si4
selectivity. The conversion of EA increased from 1.2% to Catalyst. Different calcination temperatures ranging from
79.0% upon increasing the reaction temperature from 150 oC 120 oC to 600 oC (catalyst dried in air at 120 oC for 12 h,
to 250 oC and decreased to 71.2% when reaction temper- others calcined for 5 h) were tested on Cu2Zn2Si4. Under the
ature reached 300 oC. The hydrogenation of ethyl acetate34 different calcination temperatures, the EA hydrogenation
was complicated by the subsequent formation of acetalde- activities were collected, as shown in Figure 9. It revealed
hyde. The reaction was found to be in equilibrium under the that the optimal calcination temperature of the Cu2Zn2Si4
given reaction [Eq. (3)], catalyst was 200 oC. As the calcination temperature increased
from 200 oC to 600 oC, the EA conversion was gradually
C2H5OH CH3CHO+H2 (3)
which had been discovered over silica-supported copper at
temperatures near 570 K. however, it is reported that27 under
conditions that the reaction temperature is lower than 670
o
C, ethanol was the dominant product with some acetalde-
hyde and small amounts of CH4 and CO being produced at
high conversion.35,36
EA hydrogenation is an exothermic reaction (H = 28.5
kJ/mol). According to Le Chatelier's principle, every system
in stable chemical equilibrium submitted to the influence of
an exterior force which tends to cause variation either in its
temperature, in its totality or only in some of its parts, can
undergo only those interior modifications change of temper-
ature of a sign contrary to that resulting from the exterior
force, which indicating that with the reaction temperature
rose, thermodynamic equilibrium constant decreases which
is benefit to reverse process, and it is not conducive to the Figure 9. Hydrogenation of EA over Cu2Zn2Si4, showing the
generation of ethanol which was were well conformed to effect of catalysts calcination temperature; reduction temperature =
300 oC, reaction temperature = 250 oC, H2 = 60 mL/min, WHSV =
experiment result. Meanwhile, lower amounts of adsorbed
2 h1.
reactants that have been found in other similar systems37,38

Figure 10. Hydrogenation of EA over Cu2Zn2Si4, showing the

Figure 8. Hydrogenation of EA over Cu2Zn2Si4, showing the effect of catalysts reduction temperature; reaction temperature =
effect of reaction temperature; catalysts calcination temperature = 250 oC, calcination temperature = 200 oC, H2 = 60 mL/min, WHSV
200 oC, reduction temperature = 300 oC, H2 = 60 mL/min. = 2 h1.
146 Bull. Korean Chem. Soc. 2014, Vol. 35, No. 1 Ying-ming Zhu and Xin Wang Li Shi

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