Hydrogenation Behavior of Bicyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Presence of a Dispersed Catalyst

2,6-Diisopropylnaphthalene (2,6-DIPN), 1-methylnaphthalene (1-MN), and biphenyl (BP) were selected as model compounds to investigate the hydrogenation behavior of bicyclic aromatics. The experiments were conducted in a micro-autoclave in the presence of a dispersed catalyst at a temperature from 380 to 430 °C and pressure from 3 to 15 MPa. Through the analysis of the reaction products by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and gas chromatography (GC), the results revealed that hydrogenation of aromatics can be promoted significantly in the presence of a dispersed catalyst. A high selectivity toward monocyclic aromatic products was observed in hydrogenation of these model compounds, and its behavior was affected by the presence of substituents and a π-conjugated bridge on an aromatic ring. The yield of hydro-bicyclic aromatics increased with the temperature and hydrogen pressure, while sometimes, ring hydrogenation was influenced by thermodynamic properties of aromatics. Reaction pathways for hydrogenation of 2,6-DIPN, 1-MN, and BP in the presence of a dispersed catalyst were proposed.