Breakthrough in Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol Using Noble Metal-supported Ni-based Perovskite-derived Catalysts

Strategic Insights -

A team of researchers at the Indian Institutes of Technology Madras has made a significant discovery in the field of chemicals and chemistry, specifically in the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of guaiacol. The study, published in the journal ChemCatChem, demonstrates the superior performance of reduced Ru-LaNiO3 catalyst in achieving 100% guaiacol conversion and a 75% selectivity toward cyclohexanol compared to reduced Ru-NiTiO3 under identical conditions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study focuses on the role of noble metal-doped Ni-based perovskites, specifically LaNiO3 and NiTiO3 catalysts in the HDO of guaiacol.
  • Reduced Ru-LaNiO3 catalyst achieved superior performance with 100% guaiacol conversion and a 75% selectivity toward cyclohexanol, compared to reduced Ru-NiTiO3 which achieved only 43% conversion and 25% cyclohexanol selectivity.
  • High-resolution transmission electron microscopic (HR-TEM) analysis reveals that LaNiO3-supported catalysts exhibit better metal dispersion and smaller nickel nanoparticle sizes compared to NiTiO3-supported counterparts.
  • X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis shows that the reduction of nickel and noble metals is more facile on LaNiO3, with an optimized OLat/OVac ratio critical for the effective HDO of guaiacol.
  • In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) demonstrates a high HDO reaction rate using reduced Ru-LaNiO3 than reduced Ru-NiTiO3, with cyclohexanol formation attributed to the keto-enol tautomerization pathway.

Statistics:

  • 240 degrees C: The temperature at which the HDO reaction was conducted.
  • 30 bar H2: The hydrogen pressure used in the HDO reaction.
  • 4 h: The duration of the HDO reaction.
  • 100% guaiacol conversion: The achieved conversion rate of guaiacol to cyclohexanol using reduced Ru-LaNiO3 catalyst.
  • 75% selectivity toward cyclohexanol: The achieved selectivity of cyclohexanol formation using reduced Ru-LaNiO3 catalyst.
  • 43% conversion and 25% selectivity: The achieved conversion and selectivity rates using reduced Ru-NiTiO3 catalyst.

Sources:

  • Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol To Cyclohexanol Using Noble Metal-supported Ni-based Perovskite-derived Catalysts. ChemCatChem, 2025.
  • NewsRx. Investigators at Indian Institutes of Technology Madras Report Findings in Chemicals and Chemistry (Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol To Cyclohexanol Using Noble Metal-supported Ni-based Perovskite-derived Catalysts). Chemicals & Chemistry. July 18, 2025; p 1530.