Prospects of Application of Spent Autocatalysts: Rh Catalysts for Processing of Renewable Citral

Data on the activity of model bimetallic catalysts 1%Rh5%Co/ZrO 2 , 1%Rh5%Cu/ZrO 2 and 1%Rh1.5% MnOx/SiO 2 in the hydrogenation of renewable citral under mild conditions (70 °C, 10 atm gauge H 2 ) have been obtained. It is shown that the citral hydrogenation rate increases in the series RhCu/ZrO 2 < RhMnOx/SiO 2 < RhCo/ZrO 2 , reaching selectivity to citronellal of 70, 78 and 84 %, respectively, at citral conversion of 46 %. It is hypothesized that the presence of impurities of Co, Cu, Mn, silicon oxide and reduced oxides will not affect the hydrogenation activity of Rh in spent autocatalysts.