HYDROGENATION OF ALLYL ALCOHOL USING A POLYMER-SUPPORTED NICKEL-BASED CATALYST

Allyl alcohol is an oxygen-containing organic compound and the first representative of the class of unsaturated alcohols. It is an industrially significant olefinic alcohol, widely used as a precursor for various chemical compounds. The hydrogenation product of allyl alcohol, 1-propanol, is a versatile solvent and chemical intermediate employed in multiple industrial sectors. Given its broad applicability, the hydrogenation of allyl alcohol is of considerable scientific and industrial interest. Notably, metallic nickel is used as an active phase in hydrogenation reactions due to its accessibility and electronic structure, which is similar to that of precious metal catalysts. In the present study, highly efficient nanocatalysts containing different weight percentages of Ni were synthesized on a synthetic polymer matrix, poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP), for the selective hydrogenation of allyl alcohol to 1-propanol. The hydrogenation process was conducted at temperatures ranging from 40°C to 80°C under atmospheric pressure. The findings indicate that the catalytic activity of the synthesized catalyst samples in the investigated reaction is significantly influenced by the nature, properties, and structure of both the polymer and the metal, as well as the reaction conditions, particularly the temperature.