Max-planck-gesellschaft Zur F&#xf6;rderung Der Wissenschaften E. V.

Marc Armbruester

Robert Schloegl

Kirill Kovnir

Juri Grin

Rainer Giedigkeit

Juergen Osswald

Thorsten Kessler

Marcus Schmidt

Rolf E Jentoft

Matthias Friedrich

Karina Weinhold

The present invention relates to a process for the hydrogenation, in particular selective hydrogenation of at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon compound comprising reacting the at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon compound with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, wherein the hydrogenation catalyst comprises a mixture of an ordered intermetallic compound and an inert material. According to another aspect, the present invention is concerned with the use of a mixture of at least one ordered intermetallic compound and at least one inert material, as a catalyst. The mixtures for use as a catalyst in the present invention can be prepared easily and achieve a superior activity in relation to the prior art, while preserving the high selectivity to the target compounds, e.g. in the selective hydrogenation of acetylene to ethylene.

Use of a mixture of an ordered intermetallic compound and an inert material as a catalyst and corresponding hydrogenation processes

Selective hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds, e.g. of acetylene to ethylene, uses a hydrogenation catalyst comprising an ordered intermetallic compound. The ordered intermetallic compound comprises at least one metal of type A capable of activating hydrogen, and at least one metal of type B not capable of activating hydrogen. The structure of the ordered intermetallic compound is such that the type A metal is mainly surrounded by atoms of the type B metal.

Hydrogenation process using catalyst comprising ordered intermetallic compound

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Dresden, Germany

Marc Armbruester