Liquid-phase hydrogenation of acetylene on the Pd/sibunit catalyst in the presence of carbon monoxide

The liquid-phase catalytic hydrogenation of acetylene into ethylene in the presence of CO over palladium supported on the graphite-like material Sibunit has been investigated. Carbon monoxide is an effective modifier of the selective hydrogenation process, exerting its effect by competing with acetylene and ethylene for chemisorption sites on the palladium surface. Under the optimum conditions (T = 90°C; N-methylpyrrolidone solvent; feed consisting of 2 vol % C2H2, 90 vol % H2, and He balance), the introduction of 2 vol % CO ensures a high ethylene selectivity of 89.6 ± 1.5% at an acetylene conversion of 95.8 ± 1.3%, with the acetylene converted into hydrooligomers taken into account.