Hydrogenation catalyst, a process for its preparation, and use thereof

摘要

A hydrogenation catalyst comprising 25 to 50% by weight of nickel (metallic) 10 to 35% by weight of nickel oxide 4 to 12% by weight of magnesium oxide 1 to 5% by weight of sodium oxide the remainder being a water-insoluble support material, wherein the total of nickel and nickel oxide is 40% to 70% by weight, and the catalyst has a surface area, determined by BET, of 80 to 200 m2/g and a total pore volume of 0.35 to 0.6 ml/g. The total pore volume is made up of 30% to 60% by volume from pores having pore radii of 40 to 300 ANGSTROM , and 30% to 60% by volume from pores having pore radii of >300 to 5000 ANGSTROM . A process for preparing the hydrogenation catalyst which comprises preparing, in a precipitation step, a green catalyst from a nickel salt, a magnesium salt, sodium carbonate, and the support material, separating off the mother liquor and partially washing the precipitate, slurrying the green catalyst in alkali solution, separating it from the liquid phase, drying it, and contacting the dried green catalyst with hydrogen until 48% to 86% by weight of the total nickel content is present in metallic form. The hydrogenation catalyst of the invention is particularly suitable for the hydrogenation of propanal, n-butanal, and i-butanal, especially at temperatures between 100 DEG and 160 DEG C.