While investigating the reaction of 1-butanol over base catalysts, such as MgO, we observed the formation of small amounts of 4-heptanone.
With the aim of developing a process of biodiesel production that is environmentally benign much interest has been focused on the use of solid base catalysts, such as calcium oxide, for the transesterification of vegetable oils with methanol.
Cyanoethylation of alcohols with acrylonitrile to form 3-alkoxypropanenitriles proceeds effectively over solid base catalysts such as alkaline metal oxides and hydroxides, lanthanum oxide, and alumina supported potassium fluoride and hydroxide at a reaction temperature below 323 K.
This difficulty can be overcome by the introduction of Lewis base catalysts, such as ammonia, pyridine, and aminosilane [14-22] [14-22]
Conventionally, this reaction is carried out using homogeneous acid or base catalysts, such as sulfonic acid, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, or their alkoxides [4, 5, 6, 7, 8].
Other base catalysts such as magnesium t-butoxide [19], potassium carbonate [20], alumina [21], MgO [22], calcinated hydrotalcites [23, 24], natural phosphate/NaNO3 [26] 26], KF/natural phosphate [27] and piperidine [28] have also been used for their synthesis.
Considering that lignin depolymerization can be performed successfully with homogeneous base catalysts, such as KOH and NaOH, with conversions reaching 95%[55]5], [60], and that heterogeneous Ni catalysts are able to cleave C O bonds [67], Sturgeon et al. proposed a combination of these active components [19].
In the present study, synthesis of biodiesel was studied by using edible (palm) or non-edible (Jatropha) feedstock catalyzed by heterogeneous base catalysts such as supported alkali metal (NaOH/Al2O3), alkaline-earth metal oxide (MgO, CaO and SrO) and mixed metal oxides catalysts (CaMgO and CaZnO).
During the liquid phase glucose hydrogenation, the as-prepared Ni B/SiO2 amorphous catalyst exhibited much higher activity than other Ni-based catalysts, such as the corresponding crystallized Ni B/SiO2 catalyst, the Ni/SiO2 catalyst obtained by H2 reduction, and even the commercial Raney Ni catalyst.
In fact, multi promoters promoted Rh-based catalysts such as RhMnFeLi/SiO2 [8] and RhlaFeV/SiO2 [12] may produce a synergistic effect for ethanol formation.
