Catalytic performance of morphology-controlled Pd/SBA-15 in hydrogenation of alkyl-anthraquinone

Monodispersed mesoporous SBA-15 silica was synthesized by adding n -decane to conventional synthesis recipe. Pd catalysts for 2-alkyl-anthraquinone hydrogenation were then prepared on the as-synthesized SBA-15 and characterized by scanning and transmission electron micrographs, X-ray diffraction, XPS spectroscopy and N 2 adsorption-desorption. At the molar ratio of n -decane to P123 (C10/P123) ranging between 120 and 240, monodispersed SBA-15, together with the shortened length of pore channels, expanded size of mesopores and decreased proportion of micropores could be obtained. The Pd catalyst on SBA-15 synthesized with 240 in C10/P123 exhibited the superior catalytic performance. The initial hydrogenation rate of 2-ethyl-, tert-butyl- and amyl-anthraquinone increases by approximately 300%, 183% and 150% compared with that on SBA-15 synthesized using a recipe without n -decane, with the selectivity to active anthraquinone of >99%.