Cu‐Al‐MCM‐41 Catalysts for the Selective Synthesis of Diphenylmethane: Influence of Catalyst Structure on Activity and Selectivity

Abstract MCM‐41 molecular sieves were synthesized by hydrothermal method, and Cu‐Al‐MCM‐41 composite molecular sieve catalysts were prepared by loading Cu after aluminum isopropoxide impregnation. The suitable textural properties of catalysts for the synthesis of diphenylmethane (DPM) from benzene and benzyl alchohol (BnOH) were investigated by varying the impregnation temperature, impregnation time, Si/Al ratios, and copper loadings, and the relationship between catalytic capacity and structure were explored by XRD, FT‐IR, N 2 adsorption–desorption, NH 3 ‐TPD, and Py‐FTIR techniques. The results show that Cu(5%)‐Al‐MCM‐41 catalysts exhibited the highest DPM yield of 87.58% compared to other samples. The DPM production, as well as BnOH conversion strongly depended on the pore size, Lewis/Brønsted acid and synergy between strong acid and weak acid.