Abstract
"H-2-free" HDO is a revolutionary route to circumvent the limitations of H-2-fed HDO reactors for biomass upgrading. This work demonstrates the viability of this economically appealing route when an adequate catalyst is implemented. Herein, we have developed a new family of Pt catalysts supported on N-doped activated carbons for the H2-free HDO process of guaiacol. Several N-donors have been used to tune the catalyst's structural and electronic properties. As a general trend, the N-promoted samples are more selective towards oxygen-depleted products. The best performing material, namely Pt/PANI-AC, reached outstanding guaiacol conversion values - ca. 75% at 300 degrees C while displaying reasonable stability for multiple recycling operations. The advanced performance is ascribed to the modified electronic and acid-base properties which favor guaiacol activation and C-O cleavage, as well as the excellent dispersion of the Pt nanoparticles. (C) 2020 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. and Science Press. All rights reserved.