Nickel and Bimetallic Nanoparticles-Catalyzed Hydrogenation Turpentine under Mild Pressure

Turpentine, an important source of terpenes, is composed mainly of α-pinene, δ-carene, β-pinene, myrcene, and limonene. This compound exhibits relatively high chemical reactivity due to its unsaturated double bond. Hydrogenation is a common method for saturating compounds. Compared to precious metals, which are expensive, rare, and difficult to obtain, nickel catalysts offer a more cost-effective alternative, despite their slightly lower catalytic efficiency. Bimetallic catalysts have demonstrated excellent activity in hydrogenating various compounds into their intended products. The addition of a second metal can result in synergistic interactions and enhanced activity of the metallic sites. In this research, we conducted the hydrogenation of turpentine using nickel, nickel-iron and nickel-zinc nanoparticles as catalyst. The reaction was carried out in a minireactor with a low-pressure reaction condition of 4 atm, 50°C, and 24 h. The result indicates that catalysts formed had sizes ranging from 37 to 97 nm, achieving pinane yield between in 3 and 40%. These findings encourage further investigation into more optimal conditions and the effect of using other metal.