Fabrication of Cu/MgO–Al₂O₃ Nanocatalysts for Selective Hydrogenation of Methyl Benzoate to Benzyl Alcohol

Production of chlorine-free benzyl alcohol via liquid-phase selective hydrogenation of methyl benzoate is fascinating. Here, Cu/MgO–Al2O3 catalysts were fabricated by coprecipitation using sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide as mixed precipitants and exhibited high specific surface areas and pore diameters, easy reducibility, and high dispersity. The catalyst reached a conversion of methyl benzoate of 96.7% and a high selectivity toward benzyl alcohol of 96.0% together with a reliable reusability. The resulting textural and structural properties can be ascribed to the structure of its precursor. Also, the efficient conversion of methyl benzoate to benzyl alcohol may be related to the synergistic effect of Cu0, Cu+, and the Lewis acid/base This study provides insights into the activation of methyl benzoate on copper-based catalysts and the selective hydrogenation of methyl benzoate to benzyl alcohol in industrial applications.