Ni/tio2 hydrogenation catalyst

• US 20040147783A1
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BASF AG (BASF SE)
• Original Assignee: BASF AG (BASF SE)
• Inventors: Dahlhaus, Jurgen, Titelbach-Helmrich, Dietrich, Schwab, Ekkehard, Penzel, Ulrich, Vanoppen, Dominic, Georgi, Gunter, Muller, Jorn, Weidner, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 7,408,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 564/422
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 21/063 Titanium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 21/066 Zirconium or hafnium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/755 Nickel
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/78 with alkali- or alkaline earth metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/83 with rare earths or actinides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/23 in a colloidal state
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/30 characterised by their physical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/393 Metal or metal oxide crystallite size
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/03 Precipitation; Co-precipitation
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 209/36 by reduction of nitro groups bound to carbon atoms of six-membered aromatic rings in presence of hydrogen-containing gases and a catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 211/46 Aniline
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 211/47 Toluidines; Homologues thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 211/51 Phenylenediamines

Abstract

A catalyst comprising nickel on a TiO₂ support is obtainable by coprecipitation of

nickel and

at least one further metal selected from among Si, Zr, Hf, alkaline earth metals, Y, La and Ce, and

optionally at least one dopant metal selected from groups 5 to 11 of the Periodic Table of the Elements,

from a solution in which the corresponding metal salts are present onto a particulate TiO₂ support, subsequent drying, calcination and reduction and optionally passivation to give the nickel-containing catalyst.

It is used, in particular, for the hydrogenation of nitroaromatic compounds.

Claims

1. A catalyst comprising nickel on a TiO₂ support and obtainable by coprecipitation of

nickel and

at least one further metal selected from among alkaline earth metals, Y, La and Ce, and

optionally at least one dopant metal selected from groups 5 to 11 of the Periodic Table of the Elements,

from a solution in which the corresponding metal salts are present onto a particulate TiO₂ support, subsequent drying, calcination and reduction and optionally passivation to give the nickel-containing catalyst.

2. A catalyst as claimed in claim 1, wherein the proportion of nickel in the catalyst is from 20 to 80% by weight, based on the total catalyst.

3. A catalyst as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the weight ratio of the oxide of the further metal or metals to the TiO₂ support is (0.2 -4):

1.

4. A catalyst as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the nickel crystallite size is from 4 to 20 nm.

5. A catalyst as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mean particle size (d₅₀) of the catalyst is from 3 to 80 μ

m.

6. A catalyst as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, which is passivated after reduction.

7. A process for preparing a catalyst as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, which comprises carrying out the process steps indicated.

8. The use of a catalyst as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, for the hydrogenation of nitroaromatic compounds.

9. A process for preparing aromatic amino compounds by hydrogenation of corresponding nitroaromatic compounds, wherein the hydrogenation is carried out in the presence of a catalyst as defined in any of claims 1 to 6.

10. A process as claimed in claim 9, wherein the aromatic amino compounds are selected from among aniline, o-toluidine, p-toluidine and toluenediamine.