Synthesis and Hydrodeoxygenation Properties of Ruthenium Phosphide Catalysts

Ru2P/SiO2 and RuP/SiO2 catalysts were prepared by the temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) of uncalcined precursors containing hypophosphite ion (H2PO2-) as the phosphorus source. The Ru2P/SiO2 and RuP/SiO2 catalysts had small average particle sizes (similar to 4 nm) and high CO chemisorption capacities (90-110 mu mol/g). The Ru phosphide catalysts exhibited similar or higher furan (C4H4O) hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) activities than did a Ru/SiO2 catalyst, and the phosphide catalysts favored C-4 hydrocarbon products while the Ru metal catalyst produced primarily C-3 hydrocarbons.