Activity and selectivity of carbon supported palladium catalysts prepared from bis(η3-allyl)palladium complexes in phenylacetylene hydrogenation

Liquid phase hydrogenation of phenylacetylene was investigated on a series of 9.1 wt% Pd/C catalysts prepared from bis(eta(3)-allyl)palladium complexes, as well as commercial Russian Pd/C catalyst (GIPKH-108). Pd/C catalysts were characterized by oxygen absorption and SEM. All prepared Pd/C catalysts demonstrated very high selectivity to styrene. The reduction temperature of palladium precursor has a significant effect on the palladium dispersity, but the substituent near terminal carbon atom of allyl ligand affects the dispersity more essentially than reduction temperature. Pd/C catalyst prepared from bis[(eta(3)-allyl)palladium acetate] showed highest metal dispersity, activity and selectivity in the hydrogenation of phenylacetylene to styrene.