Hydrogenation of p- and m-Substituted Acetophenones over Nickel Catalysts

Abstract

The hydrogenation of p- and m-substituted acetophenones to the corresponding alcohols was studied in ethanol at 30°C over four kinds of nickel catalysts. For all the catalysts, the Hammett plots of reaction rates showed volcano type curves with the maximum rate at the point corresponding to acetophenone. The decreasing order of specific rates of hydrogenation per unit surface area of the catalysts was Ni-B>D-Ni>R-Ni>Ni-P for each acetophenone, which was consistent with that of electron density of nickel metal. These features can be explained in terms of the adsorption strength of reactants on the catalysts.