Deoxyalkylation of guaiacol using haggite structured V4O6(OH)4?

Catalysis Science & Technology Pub Date: 2019-03-11 DOI: 10.1039/C9CY00024K

Abstract

When V2O5 is used for the deoxygenation of guaiacol in methanol, it is reduced in situ to haggite structured V4O6(OH)4. Guaiacol prevents further reduction of the haggite phase in methanol and haggite catalyzes the partial deoxygenation of guaiacol. Haggite is a metastable redox catalyst for the deoxygenation of guaiacol, which follows the reverse Mars–van Krevelen mechanism. In addition, haggite is also a Lewis acid catalyst and catalyzes the alkylation of guaiacol with methanol as the alkylation reagent. The main products of the guaiacol deoxyalkylation are 2,6-dimethylphenol, 2-methoxy-6-methylphenol, 2,4,6-trimethylphenol, 2,3,6-trimethylphenol, 2,3,5,6-tetramethylphenol and 6-methyl-2-tert-butylphenol. Oligomerization takes place during the reaction but it is reversible. When the reaction is performed at 300 °C for 6 h, the 83.5% total selectivity for alkylphenols is achieved with a 99.0% conversion.

Graphical abstract: Deoxyalkylation of guaiacol using haggite structured V4O6(OH)4
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