Catalytic hydroconversion of oxydibenzene to cyclohexane over bifunctional Ni/Hβ

An active bifunctional Ni/Hβ was prepared by decomposing Ni(CO)4 to dispersive metallic Ni onto Hβ and applied in hydroconversion of oxydibenzene (ODB), which was used as a model reaction for the catalytic hydroconversion (CHC) of lignin or lignin oligomers to hydrocarbon fuels. The effects of reaction temperature, initial H2 pressure (IHP), and reaction time on the CHC of ODB was studied. Ni/Hβ was found to be effective for converting ODB into cyclohexane at 200°C under higher IHP. The mechanism for the CHC of ODB was discussed and the difference in mechanism under lower and higher IHP can be ascribed to the hydrogen-accepting abilities of unsaturated hydrocarbon products.