| abstract |
A method of screening catalysts for liquid-phase selective hydrogenation of alkynes, comprising preparing a test catalyst by adding a promoter selected from the group consisting of Group IB metals, Group IIB metals, Group IIIA metals, Group VIIB metals, and combinations thereof, to a reference catalyst comprising a supported Group VIII metal catalyst precursor; preparing a liquid reactant stream comprising between 1 wt-% and 10 wt-% acetylene dissolved in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; testing the test catalyst and the reference catalyst by contacting the reactant stream and a hydrogen/carbon monoxide gas mixture in continuous flow with the test catalyst and reference catalyst, respectively, at selective hydrogenation reaction conditions to produce a product stream; condensing substantially all of the n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone from the product stream; measuring the concentrations of products comprising acetylene, ethylene and ethane, in the product stream at steady state; determining performance parameters for the test catalyst and the reference catalyst comprising conversion and product selectivities; and comparing the test catalyst performance parameters to those for the reference catalyst. |