•High selectivity toward n-butanol (67.6%) was achieved over Pd-CeO2/AC catalyst.•Metals with high capability of hydrogen activation and spillover have high n-butanol selectivity.•Performance of catalysts was depended on their de/hydrogenation and CC cracking capabilities.M-CeO2/AC (M = Cu, Fe, Co, Ni and Pd) catalysts were prepared and evaluated in the continuous catalytic upgrading of ethanol to n-butanol under mild reaction conditions. The highest selectivity to n-butanol (67.6%) was achieved over Pd-CeO2/AC catalyst, while Cu-CeO2/AC catalyst exhibited the highest ethanol conversion (46.2%) with moderate selectivity to n-butanol (41.3%). The catalytic performance of these catalysts was shown for the first time to largely depend on the dehydrogenation, hydrogenation and CC bond cracking capabilities of each individual supported metal.M-CeO2/AC (M = Cu, Fe, Co, Ni and Pd) catalysts were synthesized and compared in the continuous catalytic upgrading of ethanol to n-butanol under mild reaction conditions. The catalytic performance of catalysts was mainly depended on their dehydrogenation, hydrogenation and CC bond cracking capabilities.Download high-res image (133KB)Download full-size image

Mg–La mixed oxide catalysts with tunable interactions between Mg and La oxides were synthesized. The catalyst with a strong interaction had higher amounts of oxygen vacancies and surface adsorbed oxygen species, resulting in a better performance in H2 oxidation and CH4 oxidative reactions.

A new strategy to synthesize a catalyst consisting of graphite-supported Ru nanoparticles encapsulated by mesoporous silica layers was developed via a facile and scalable wet-chemical process. The intended structures were confirmed with N2 sorption, CO chemisorption, TEM and SEM. The geometric effect of the pores in the silica layer of Ru/HSAG@mSiO2 was evaluated in the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde and showed 15% higher selectivity to unsaturated alcohol and three times higher turnover frequency (TOF) relative to unconfined Ru/HSAG catalyst with the equivalent size of Ru particles.

•Up to 71.91% yield of diesel-like hydrocarbons (C17 + C18 products) can be achieved.•Solvents can generate in situ hydrogen for hydrogenation.•In situ hydrogen from solvents is more reactive than from aqueous phase reforming.An integrated catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) and aqueous phase reforming (APR) process was applied for the hydrothermal hydrodeoxygenation of triglycerides to diesel-like hydrocarbons in the presence of water. Up to 71.91% yield of diesel-like hydrocarbons (C17 + C18 products) could be achieved when using decalin as solvent at 523 K with autogenous pressure after 12 h of reaction time. The promotional effect on the hydrodeoxygenation of triglycerides was ascribed to the high reactivity of in situ generated H2 from solvents.Hydrothermal hydrodeoxygenation of triglycerides with in situ generated hydrogen could give rise to 71.91% yield of diesel-like hydrocarbons (C17 + C18 products) at 523 K with autogenous pressure after 12 h of reaction time.Download high-res image (156KB)Download full-size image

Mg–La mixed oxide catalysts with tunable interactions between Mg and La oxides were synthesized. The catalyst with a strong interaction had higher amounts of oxygen vacancies and surface adsorbed oxygen species, resulting in a better performance in H2 oxidation and CH4 oxidative reactions.